Parametrix
Specialty: Engineering, planning, environmental science
Management: Gerry Jones, CEO; Mel Sears, COO; Darlene Brown, CFO
Founded: 1969
Headquarters: Sumner
2004 revenues: $44 million
Projected 2005 revenues: $48 million
Current projects: Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement; SR-520 bridge crossing; Sinclair Inlet restoration and brownfield redevelopment for Kitsap County; Superfund cleanups for EPA Region 10
In April, Parametrix received national recognition for projects involving reader-friendly technical documentation and environmental streamlining processes.
Reader-friendly
The draft environmental impact statement for the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Project received the National Association of Environmental Professionals President’s Award for Environmental Excellence. It was recognized for its plain language text and highly explanatory, well-designed graphics.
Parametrix is the environmental consultant on the viaduct project, working with Parsons Brinckerhoff and the three lead agencies: Federal Highway Administration, Washington State Department of Transportation and city of Seattle.
“Rather than being written in technical language, it was written in question-and-answer format,” said Howard Hillinger, engineering and environmental services program manager. “It’s a good example of making it easier for the public to understand complex projects.”
This was the first WSDOT project to use this format and will likely set precedent for future ones, according to Keri Miles, Parametrix marketing program services manager.
Streamlining approvals
Parametrix also received accolades for applying environmental streamlining processes to an Oregon Department of Transportation bridge program which aims to repair and replace 450 bridges over 10 years.
The Federal Highway Administration bestowed the 2005 Environmental Excellence Award to the Oregon Bridge Replacement Environmental Stewardship Program, one of 11 recipients from a pool of 238 nominations.
Parametrix developed a strategy for ODOT that permits bridges programmatically, streamlines agency approval, and simplifies the mitigation process through mitigation and conservation banking. The approach is estimated to lower total design costs by as much as 15 percent.
Infrastructure funds
Hillinger said his biggest concern is a stable funding climate for infrastructure projects.
He is monitoring the status of this year’s $8.5 billion transportation bill and accompanying gas tax that support major infrastructure projects such as the Alaskan Way viaduct and the state Route 520 bridge.
“The uncertainty over funding makes it difficult to move forward,” Hillinger said. “Numerous starts and stops mean that the projects take longer and ultimately cost more.”