The Client

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) Multimodal Planning Division is responsible for statewide long-range planning and programming; planning assistance to local and regional entities; transportation research, data, travel demand modeling, and analysis.

The Challenge

ADOT’s planning function, divided into two divisions, was not meeting the needs of a rapidly growing state. ADOT’s planning capacity had steadily declined and the agency was not well positioned to participate at the technical level as active partners in regional planning nor to provide leadership to evaluate and plan for future growth. ADOT leadership recognized a need for change and innovation in the face of unprecedented growth, and sought to answer the question: How do we provide effective statewide planning and leadership?

The Solution

Dye Management Group, Inc. conducted an assessment of ADOT’s planning function and developed recommendations for organizational development. Our consultants defined organizational priorities with ADOT leadership and steps needed to implement best practice. In consultation with ADOT leadership, we developed a series of recommendations for a new organizational structure and specified the competencies required for ADOT to become a leader in statewide planning. As a result of these recommendations, DMG developed a new organizational structure for ADOT’s planning function that merged the two separate planning functions: the Multimodal Planning Division (MPD).

The Results

ADOT has a robust experienced planning function. A senior leadership team with the required expertise is now in place at MPD, and the organization is working toward a comprehensive, innovative plan for Arizona’s transportation future.

For more information about MPD, visit http://mpd.azdot.gov/.