Contact Information

Transit Mobility Program

Texas A&M Transportation Institute

The Texas A&M University System

1106 Clayton Lane, Suite 300E

Austin, TX 78723

Phone:  (512) 467-0946 Ext. 12110

Fax:  (512) 467-8971

Email:  m-highsmith@ttimail.tamu.edu

Education

• M.A.G., Applied Land Use Planning, Texas State University, 2003
• B.A., Geography, Texas Tech University, 2001

Professional Registrations

• American Institute for Certified Planners (AICP), #025290

Professional Affiliations

• American Planning Association
• American Institute for Certified Planners
• Congress for New Urbanism
• Member, Nodes and Corridors Committee
• Advancing Women in Transportation
• Transportation Research Board (TRB)
• Panelist, Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations (TCRP B-38)

TTI Tenure / Total Industry Tenure

• 2 years
• 10 years

Professional Interests

• Mobility Management
• Livability and Sustainability Initiatives
• Public Involvement
• Long-range Planning Studies
• Downtown Circulator Systems
• Smart Growth and Land Use Planning
• Flexible and Demand Response Transit
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning

Selected Projects, Publications, and Presentations

• Researcher, Mobility Investment Priorities (Rider 42) for the State of Texas. 2011-Present.
• Researcher, Provide Technical Assistance to Public Transit Services. 2011-Present.
• Researcher, Clark County School District Review: Transportation Department Efficiency Initiatives. 2011-Present.
• Researcher, TxDOT Research Project 0-6633: Determining Performance Measures for Mobility Management. 2011-Present.
• Researcher, Best Practices in On-Board Transit Surveying for Maricopa Association of Governments, Phoenix, AZ. 2011-Present.
• Principal Planner. Rail and Fixed Route Service Expansion Planning, Round Rock & Cedar Park, TX. 2009-2011.
• Transportation Planner & Public Involvement Coordinator. Capital Area Regional Transit Coordination Committee (RTCC), Austin, Texas. 2005-2011.
• M.K. Highsmith. Transportation’s Effect on Quality of Life in Austin, Texas. Presentation to Leadership Austin. Austin, TX. 2010.
• M.K. Highsmith. Regional Transportation: Working Together to Plan for Austin’s Future. Presentation to Experience Austin. Austin, TX. 2010.
• M.K. Highsmith. T.K. Hemingson. Downtown Transit Centers: Concepts for Downtown Austin. Presentation to Downtown Austin Alliance. Austin, TX. 2010.
• Senior Planner. All Systems Go Update for Capital Metropolitan Transit Authority, Austin, TX. 2009-2010.
• Senior Planner. Service Plan2020, Capital Metropolitan Transit Authority, Austin, TX. 2009-2010.
• M.K. Highsmith. Regional Transportation: Planning for Austin’s Future. Presentation to Experience Austin. Austin, TX. 2009.
• M.K. Highsmith. Capital Metro’s Proposed Bus Stop Signage. Presentation to the Downtown Austin Alliance. Austin, TX. 2008.
• M.K. Highsmith. A.P. Shepherd. Capital Metro: Planning for the Future. Presentation to Supporting Women in Geography (SWIG) Chapter. Austin, TX. 2008.
• J.H. Overman, T.C. Geiselbrecht, M.K. Highsmith. Public Involvement for Regional Transit Coordination. July 2008. Austin, Texas.
• Station Manager. Capital MetroRail Red Line Start-up, Austin, TX. 2008-2010.
• Lead Planner & Primary Facilitator. ‘Dillo Redesign, Austin’s Downtown Circulator, Capital Metro, TX. 2007-2009.

Experience

• Assistant Research Scientist, Transit Mobility Program, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, March 2011 – Present.
• Principal Planner, Capital Metropolitan Transit Authority (Capital Metro), Austin, Texas, 2010 – 2011.
• Senior Planner Short Range/Long Range, Capital Metropolitan Transit Authority (Capital Metro), Austin, Texas, 2008 – 2010.
• Transportation Planner, Capital Metropolitan Transit Authority (Capital Metro), Austin, Texas, 2005 – 2008.
• Planning Assistant, Vehicles Titles and Registration Division (VTR), Texas Department of Transportation, Austin, Texas, 2004 – 2005.
• Information Systems Analyst, Transportation Planning and Programming (TPP), Texas Department of Transportation, 2003 – 2004.
• GIS Manager and Consultant, Whitenton Group Inc. Environmental Consulting, Austin, Texas, 2004 – 2006.
• GIS Manager and Field Assistant, Whitenton Group Inc. Environmental Consulting, Austin, Texas, 2003 – 2004.