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| Alta Planning + Design | |
|---|---|
| Name | Alta Planning + Design |
| Industry | Consulting |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Steve Bornstein |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Area served | International |
| Services | Transportation planning, bicycle and pedestrian planning, trail design, community engagement |
Alta Planning + Design
Alta Planning + Design is a transportation planning and design firm specializing in active transportation, trail development, and complete streets projects. Founded in 1996, the firm has worked across municipal, regional, and federal levels on projects that intersect with urban planning, public health, and environmental stewardship. Alta's work often connects to large initiatives and institutions in United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Metropolitan Planning Organization, and municipal governments across North America and internationally.
Alta was established in 1996 by Steve Bornstein amid a period of increased attention to National Highway System reform and the rise of Americans with Disabilities Act implementation in public space. Early projects linked Alta with local agencies and advocacy groups such as Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, League of American Bicyclists, and municipal planning departments in cities like Portland, Oregon, Minneapolis, and San Francisco. During the 2000s Alta engaged with programs influenced by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, expanding into trail design for corridors promoted by organizations like National Park Service and regional entities such as Metropolitan Transportation Commission. In the 2010s Alta's portfolio grew alongside initiatives driven by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention active-living research and partnerships with state departments including California Department of Transportation and Massachusetts Department of Transportation. More recent work has intersected with municipal resilience planning tied to agencies like Environmental Protection Agency and transit authorities such as San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
Alta provides services in bicycle and pedestrian planning, trail design, corridor studies, safety audits, program administration, and public engagement for clients including city governments, transit agencies, park agencies, and foundations. Notable project types include complete streets redesigns associated with agencies like New York City Department of Transportation and multimodal corridor studies for agencies such as Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Alta has produced plans for trail systems that connect with networks like Great Allegheny Passage, East Coast Greenway, and regional greenways in partnership with organizations such as Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and municipal parks departments like Chicago Park District. The firm has conducted bicycle network analyses using methodologies referenced by National Association of City Transportation Officials and safety assessments informed by Vision Zero initiatives in cities including Seattle, Washington, D.C., and Boston. Alta has also supported grant applications to funders such as Department of Housing and Urban Development and philanthropic foundations like Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Alta operates as a professional services firm with multidisciplinary teams of planners, landscape architects, engineers, and public engagement specialists. Staff often hold credentials with professional bodies like the American Planning Association, American Society of Landscape Architects, and Institute of Transportation Engineers. Project delivery has involved coordination with regional planning bodies such as Metropolitan Planning Organizations, county governments like Los Angeles County, and transit agencies including Bay Area Rapid Transit. Operational practices include using tools and standards from organizations like National Association of City Transportation Officials and collaborating with technical partners such as engineering consultancies and academic partners at institutions like University of California, Berkeley and Harvard University for research support.
Alta's projects have been cited in policy discussions and recognized by professional organizations including awards from American Planning Association chapters, American Society of Landscape Architects state sections, and bicycle advocacy groups like League of American Bicyclists. Work by Alta has contributed to increased bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in metropolitan regions including San Francisco Bay Area, Greater Boston, and the Twin Cities area, and informed municipal policies that reference standards from National Association of City Transportation Officials and federal guidance from Federal Highway Administration. Alta staff and projects have been featured at conferences organized by Transportation Research Board, Congress for the New Urbanism, and PeopleForBikes events.
Alta has partnered with a wide range of public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private firms. Public-sector partners include state departments such as California Department of Transportation and Massachusetts Department of Transportation, municipal agencies like New York City Department of Transportation, and regional entities such as Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Nonprofit collaborations have included Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, League of American Bicyclists, and health organizations like Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alta has also worked alongside engineering firms, landscape architecture practices, and academic research centers including partnerships referenced by University of Washington and University of Minnesota investigators on active transportation studies.
Alta's projects, like many in urban infrastructure, have prompted debate among stakeholders including neighborhood associations, development interests, and transit advocates. Controversies have sometimes mirrored broader disputes seen in cases involving Vision Zero implementations, Complete Streets policies, and high-profile redesigns in cities such as New York City and San Francisco. Critiques have addressed trade-offs among parking impacts, traffic flow, and safety priorities—issues similar to debates documented in municipal hearings of agencies like Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Alta has responded to critiques through iterative public engagement processes consistent with practices advocated by American Planning Association and conflict-resolution strategies used in urban planning contexts.
Category:Urban planning firms