In March 2010 Merten joined Association Delta Metropolis as researcher/designer. The association promotes an integrated sustainable development of the Delta Metropolis – the western conurbation of The Netherlands, necessary to maintain its competitive position in Europe. The activities of the association concern landscape, new metropolitan forms of land use and mobility. Merten focuses mainly on this last topic, as project leader of SprintStad, a project that explores the benefits of simultaneous development of infrastructure and real estate on station locations.