Traffic Planning and Design opens ninth office
Elkton, Md., location expands company’s reach
LOWER POTTSGROVE » Traffic Planning and Design Inc. has expanded once again – this time into Maryland — where it recently opened its ninth office.
The new Elkton, Md., office is the first in that state for the Lower Pottsgrove-based company, which offers a variety of transportation engineering services including: transportation planning; highway design; bridge design and inspection; roundabout, streetscape and trail design; transportation systems management and operations; traffic signal System design; and construction management and inspection, among other services. Traffic Planning and Design Inc. serves customers in both the public and private sector.
The new location was chosen because of its “thriving local economy” and easy access to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Virginia, according to Traffic Planning and Design
CFO Shawn Glick. The office will primarily focus on transportation planning and permitting services — including traffic impact studies and site feasibility studies, as well as access design and permitting services.
“We also plan to focus on highway design and expert testimony for accident cases as well,” Glick said.
The company, with seven offices in Pennsylvania and one in New Jersey, in addition to the Maryland office, has the capability to work on projects throughout the country, according to Glick, who added that the time was right for this new location.
“Over the years we have had several clients expanding south and consistently asked us to expand with them. We periodically discussed it and only wanted to commit if, one — it made sense. It had to be something we can logically and financially support. We don’t want to open an office for the sake of opening an office. And two — we had to have the right person to lead it.”
Alex Meitzler has been named manager for the Elkton, Md. office, which features 1,300 square-feet of space and has enough space for about six employees, according to Glick.
“Recently hiring Alex as the office manager, who has experience in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, gives us the expertise we need to head up the office” Glick said. He added that Traffic Planning and Design principals have known Meitzler for more than 10 years and worked with him at other firms. “There was a strong chemistry and level of trust to begin with.”
According to Glick there are several other factors driving Traffic Planning and Design Inc.’s expansion including diversification of its client and geographic base and the economy.
“The (new) office gives our staff opportunities to work on new projects in different states, which challenges our staff to learn new regulatory requirements and develop new relationships,” he said.
Glick also said that local and national economies are going strong right now.
“Private sector development continues with new schools, housing, medical and retail, and in the public sector, states and municipalities have a perpetual need to fix deteriorating roads and bridges,” he said.
One of the key components of Traffic Planning and Design Inc. is the culture, Glick added. That culture has resulted in the company receiving various awards – including being ranked for 10 years among the Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania.
“TPD’s (Traffic Planning and Design’s) mission is to improve the quality of life for the public; we want to be recognized as an industry leader through quality engineering, excellent client service and enhancing the well-being of our staff. How we get there is through our culture,” he said. “Our staff members are given the freedom to create their own schedules and the flexibility to prioritize things outside of work that are important to them.”
Traffic Planning and Design Inc. was founded in Oaks in 1989 by current President Kevin Johnson. The firm, originally comprised of six employees, was founded primarily as a traffic engineering firm with highway design support capabilities. Within a few years, the firm grew significantly, requiring relocation of the corporate headquarters in 1997 to its current location in Lower Pottsgrove.
That growth was not unexpected, Glick added.
“Growth is in TPD’s (Traffic Planning and Design’s) DNA. TPD grew from one office with six employees to nine offices and over 150 employees,” he said. “Some companies are content with where there are in a given business life cycle, however, TPD’s philosophy from the beginning was to continue to grow the company, which in turn, creates opportunities for staff to grow personally and professionally.”
Glick said Traffic Planning and Design Inc. is finalizing its strategic plan for the next five years.
Glick has been with Traffic Planning and Design Inc. for nearly 20 years. He started working part-time for the company in 1998 while still a student at Widener University, joining the firm full-time in 1999.