CDM Smith Acquires Milestone Solutions to Become Industry Leader in Transportation Funding Strategies

BOSTON–Following nearly 2 years of a successful strategic partnership, CDM Smith finalized the acquisition of Milestone Solutions, a North America-based firm and global leader in road usage charging (RUC) and pricing. This acquisition will reinforce CDM Smith’s standing as the premier orga­ni­za­tion for revenue policy development, partic­u­larly as it relates to helping federal, state, and local agencies establish new, sustainable trans­porta­tion revenues and systems. 

“Advising our trans­porta­tion clients on the key challenges and oppor­tu­ni­ties that exist in revenue, emerging technology and operations has always been top-of-mind for us as a firm. As we continue to invest in the future of trans­porta­tion, we’re excited to bring in a team known for its ground­break­ing policy, technical excellence and unmatched project experience,” said Tim Wall, CDM Smith’s Chairman and CEO. “Together, we will move the needle in tackling our clients’ road funding challenges, solidifying our place as the industry leader in alternative funding strategies.”

“Milestone’s mission has always been to transform the way people pay for transportation,” said Milestone’s managing partner Travis Dunn. “With the transformation underway, CDM Smith expands our capabilities and extends our reach to address clients’ needs from North America to Australia and New Zealand to Europe.” 

Since its founding in 2011, Milestone has been the go-to firm for RUC (also known as a mileage-based user fees (MBUF) or vehicle mileage taxes (VMT)) and road pricing, especially as global interest in fuel tax alternatives has grown due to the increasing fuel efficiency and electrification of the vehicle fleet. Based on this knowledge and expertise, Milestone has pioneered the study, pilot testing, and deployment of RUC projects that explore current and future sustainable investment options for transportation agencies. Said Dunn, “In CDM Smith, we have found a team of professionals who act with integrity and who approach revenue policy and technical challenges with skill and care.”

Through active partnerships with CDM Smith, Milestone has leveraged its leadership in the marketplace to craft new policies, design concepts, and develop solutions that advance informed visions for the future of RUC. This includes the first major Midwest RUC research effort with the Kansas Department of Transportation, as well as support for the Washington State Transportation Commission as they explore innovative ways to deliver RUC more efficiently. Now, working together as one, Milestone and CDM Smith offer the full range of skills to help our clients address transportation revenue policy challenges and drive the evolution of ideas like RUC from conception to full-scale implementation. 

“This is a watershed moment for us to become the leading firm in shaping the future of transportation funding, even beyond RUC,” said Jim Riley, CDM Smith’s national transportation director. “Road usage charging is a leading contender to address our industry’s funding challenges and is the backbone of our advisory services practice. By joining together with Milestone, we are gaining a team of experts who will take us to the next level of being the best, brightest and boldest in the industry.”

CDM Smith’s transportation policy leader Justine Sydello added, “By solidifying our partnership with a firm with such a rich history of project successes, we are confident we will bolster our ability to help clients realize more sustainable funding opportunities.”  

CDM Smith is a privately owned engineering and construction firm providing legendary client service and smart solutions in water, environment, transportation, energy and facilities. Passionate about our work and invested in each other, we are inspired to think and driven to solve the world's environmental and infrastructure challenges.