Consultants to the transit industry
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· About · Services · Projects · Staff · Contact	KFH Group Staff S. Bennett Powell Transportation Analyst Austin Office Bennett Powell is a planner specializing in transit analysis. He brings to the KFH Group team his skills and experience in using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze demographic and trip data in order to provide service improvement recommendations. Mr. Powell has also led innovative public outreach processes as well as many community survey projects. His graduate studies were focused on Transit Oriented Development, land use planning and public participation. Selected Experience Coordination and Service Planning: Mr. Powell specializes in analyzing fixed-route, intercity, demand-response and Medicaid transit systems using literature reviews, public outreach and GIS to map demographic and trip data. This analysis is used to create detailed route profiles and service need assessments for transit systems. He has contributed to route studies in Texarkana, TX, Houston, TX, Annapolis, MD, and Idaho. Mr. Powell is well versed on FTA and ADA guidelines and regulations and has completed compliance studies in Idaho, Nacogdoches, TX, and Denver, CO. Mr. Powell has contributed work to coordinated transportation plans in Idaho and Texas. His work has focused on coordination of service among various providers in adjacent communities. These projects have included multi-jurisdictional study areas with diverse communities and multiple service providers offering several types of transit services. Public Outreach: Mr. Powell has given many successful presentations at conferences and universities on topics ranging from participatory processes, sustainability, urban design and transit. Mr. Powell has used innovative public participation and facilitation processes all over the world. He helped an orphanage and school in Kenya reorganize and meet new demands and expectations through Appreciative Inquiry Charrettes. Mr. Powell helped The Ark-Tex Council of Governments achieve their highest participation numbers in their monthly public transit meetings. Whether design charretts, training, public meetings or public presentations Mr. Powell has proven ability in making processes valuable, informative, innovative and enjoyable for all participants. Mr. Powell has a proven track record in the collection and analysis of data through surveys and research. Whether public surveys on transit quality, or quantitative analysis on ridership, he has shown the ability to help transit providers target objectives and implement procedures based on relevant data. Mr. Powell has also contributed to the Transit Research Cooperative Program synthesis on rural and small urban transit innovations. Graduate Studies: Mr. Powell’s graduate research includes quantitative methods, urban design, land use and environmental law, sustainable development, TOD, public participation, GIS, real estate development, and financing public services. He was involved in the Austin Alley Flat Initiative, a program to help low income communities in Austin combat gentrification pressure through the use of sustainable secondary dwelling units. He presented the Alley Flat Initiative at the 2007 Congress for New Urbanism annual conference. Mr. Powell was also the team leader of a design group in the 2008 Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Gerald D. Hines urban design competition. The team focused on the sustainable development of a TOD in south Dallas and was recognized by the Texas Chapter of the ULI for their commitment to sustainability and pragmatism. Return to staff page	Education · M.S. Community and Regional Planning, University of Texas, Austin · B.A in Sociology and Environmental Policy, Western State College of Colorado Previous Positions · Planner, Code Studio, Austin · Facilitation Planner, Providence Children’s Home and Community Center, Ngong, Kenya · Project Administrator, Bennett, Wagner & Grody Architect, Denver