Portland, OR – The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Oregon Chapter recognized TriMet’s “A Better Red” project with a best in transportation category award. ACEC Oregon’s Engineering Excellence Awards competition recognizes engineering firms for projects that demonstrate a high degree of achievement, value, and ingenuity.
The award was presented to Parametrix, the prime engineering consultant, alongside the project owner, TriMet, at ACEC Oregon’s 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards Dinner on January 30. The project now advances to the national ACEC awards to be held in Washington, D.C. on May 20.
The Better Red project extends light rail in the Portland, Oregon Metro region to serve ten more stations and provide a one-seat ride from Portland International Airport to Hillsboro. The project also addressed systemwide delays, improving scheduling and reliability.
At the west end of the MAX Red Line, the project extended service from the Beaverton Transit Center west to the Fair Complex station in Hillsboro. A second track was added at Gateway to remove a system-wide bottleneck and improve on-time performance. Two major bridges were constructed to accommodate these changes. New pathways were also added to provide access for pedestrians, cyclists, and emergency vehicles.
Light rail operations were maintained throughout construction. The project brought $100 million in federal dollars to the region, creating 1,200 family‑wage jobs at 140+ area firms.
Parametrix provided project management; track, civil, stormwater, and structural design; and environmental leadership for this project.
“Throughout this entire, highly complex project, the Parametrix team was responsive to our needs, solutions-oriented, and collaborative. They communicated effectively throughout predesign, design, and construction and ensured that everyone was working toward a successful outcome.” – Paige Schlupp, Project Director, TriMet
The team consisted of dozens of firms, including disadvantaged business enterprises. Key partners were David Evans and Associates, Shannon & Wilson, Emerio Design, Perkins & Will, NNA Landscape Architecture, AKANA, and Hatch.
About Parametrix
Parametrix is a 100-percent employee-owned consulting firm helping clients deliver resilient infrastructure, livable communities, and environmentally sustainable solutions. From offices across the United States, our team of engineers, planners, scientists, landscape architects, surveyors, project managers, and construction managers are helping our clients imagine what’s possible and create tomorrow, together. Learn more at https://www.parametrix.com/
