Case Studies
Proven Results Across North America
Metro Strategies collaborates with the most well respected corporate, governmental and non-profit entities in North America by supplying its clients with top shelf returns on investments through a professional, reliable service.
Gordie Howe International Bridge Demolition Project
Metro Strategies was contracted by prime contractor, Egis (Formerly known as Beam, Longest and Neff), to provide DBE compliance monitoring and community outreach services for one of the most significant international infrastructure projects in North America — the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
Detroit PAL Tiger Stadium Workforce Project
Metro was selected to provide workforce development for this context sensitive project for its history of developing a workforce that represents the City of Detroit, but also because the stadium will host a number of Detroit Police Athletic League events. Metro provided the necessary workforce within the short timeframe of two weeks.
City of Detroit Shared Use Mobility Project
The City of Detroit's Office of Mobility Innovation and Metro Strategies, WSP Detroit and Feonix Mobility Rising worked collaboratively to lead two community engagement workshops with neighborhood organizations, local stakeholders, mobility experts and agencies of city government to develop a list of design standards and best practices for neighborhood-scale mobility hubs. This successful project was a predecessor to the "new" Michigan Central Transit Center. Metro Strategies is the only Detroit-based partner who already holds the "design relevant intelligence" from the 2025 engagement — real user experience data, operator workflow insights, and community-validated priorities that WSP must integrate to produce a facility that is operationally credible, politically durable, and publicly defensible.
Feonix Mobility & HOPE Project
Metro served as the Community Engagement lead for the HOPE project. The City of Detroit will receive funding to improve access to food, transit services and healthcare facilities by identifying gaps in the transportation network in underserved communities. The study will include a comprehensive survey to understand mobility challenges from the community perspective and assess potential partners for implementation. Feonix Mobility, Metro Strategies, MSU, U. of M. and the Detroit Department of Transportation have partnered to provide informational sessions that will determine the barriers to access to various healthcare, workforce and food options in the most challenging parts of the city.
Marathon Detroit Refinery
In 2014, Marathon Petroleum's Detroit refinery was heavily criticized because — after receiving a $175 million tax break from the City of Detroit to support its massive expansion — the company hired only 15 Detroit residents, far below what city officials and community members expected for its new Administration Building and Refinery Small Projects. To that end, Metro reviewed and provided advice on the proposed list of Detroit material suppliers and construction contractors. Metro Strategies worked closely with Detroit Public Works and Michigan Department of Transportation staff to develop policies to include more Detroit-Based businesses on the Oakwood Blvd reroute. Because the project mainly focused on chemical related jobs, Metro developed a Contractor Fair with a focus on contractors that provided safety products.
UAV/Drone Data Collection Projects
Metro Strategies and Terrence M. Hicks have been a Part 107 Drone Certificate holder 2016–present; former Working Group Lead on the FAA Aviation Rules Committee (ARC) for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS); previously delivered Part 107 training in partnership with Code 313 in Detroit. Metro provided drone data collection research for the Global Auto Alliance (GAA) Grounds Survey (January 2019), Midland Bridge Inspection on Gordonville Road in Midland, Michigan (September 2016), and Muskegon Road Corridor Inspection on M-120 (Holton Rd) in Twin Lakes, Michigan (June 2017). Metro Strategies recruits and trains Detroiters, prioritizing candidates from Code 313, Detroit at Work, Davis Aerospace Technical High School, the Engineering Society of Detroit, and RomoGIS Academy. The training program, co-developed with Michigan Technological University, is delivered through a train-the-trainer framework that ensures long-term local capacity. It includes advanced RGB/IR inspection competency, complex UAS operation practical experience, and related data analytics and reporting.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
Metro Strategies partnered with the Federal Highway Administration to develop and implement policy-oriented initiatives supporting DBE program compliance and small business development across Michigan's federal highway projects.
Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AATA)
The AATA was interested in developing a DBE initiative for their upcoming Blake Transit Center construction project — a $7.8 million project located in the heart of the city of Ann Arbor, a liberal minded diverse community. Hicks developed policy-oriented initiatives that not only assisted AATA with meeting the 10% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise goal, but exceeding that goal.
Michigan Department of Transportation
Then Governor Jennifer M. Granholm appointed Terrence M. Hicks as the Director of MDOT's Office of Business Development with oversight over the federally-mandated Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program. Mr. Hicks recognized that the DBE contractors faced a host of problems and developed innovative programs including Capacity Targeted Projects and Best Value Contracting to drive measurable increases in bid opportunities for DBE firms across metro Detroit and the state of Michigan.
Telephone Town Hall Meetings
Metro was the lead on three Telephone Town Hall meetings: the National Institute of Health (NIH) Telephone Town Hall, the Feonix Mobility Rising Telephone Town Hall, and the City of Detroit Covid Telephone Town Hall.
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