11-12-2021
In this new series, meet the Inspired People of Parametrix! We’ll chat with them about their role, what they’re currently working on, market trends, advice, and what they enjoy doing outside of work.
Today, meet Jackie Kuechenmeister, a Senior Planner with our Nevada Transportation team, working remotely from her home in Arizona. She has been with Parametrix for nearly 3 years and has 16 years of industry experience.
Tell us about your role at Parametrix.
I am a transportation planner, working for the Nevada office. I work on a range of projects, mostly for regional and statewide agencies, that set the foundation for future transportation investments. This ranges from high-level visioning, conducting data-driven analyses, and engaging with the community, to working with entities to apply for grant funding, prioritizing project lists for implementation, or communicating ... (more)
9-09-2021
Transit systems improve livability, provide affordable mobility, manage congestion, and lower energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. From initial system planning and securing environmental approvals, through design and assistance with operations, Parametrix partners with agencies on all types of transit systems—commuter rail, light rail, heavy rail, bus rapid transit, streetcar, and ferry systems.
In this series, we’ll feature some of the employee-owners at Parametrix who are shaping our transit systems. Today, meet Alicia McIntire. Alicia is a Senior Planner based out of Seattle, WA. She has 25 years of experience in transit, including transit system planning and multimodal, pedestrian, and bicycle plans.
How did you become interested in transit and transportation?
I have loved transit ever since I ... (more)
8-27-2021
Transit systems improve livability, provide affordable mobility, manage congestion, and lower energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. From initial system planning and securing environmental approvals, through design and assistance with operations, Parametrix partners with agencies on all types of transit systems—commuter rail, light rail, heavy rail, bus rapid transit, streetcar, and ferry systems.
In this series, we’ll feature some of the employee-owners at Parametrix who are shaping our transit systems. Today, meet Darby Watson, AICP. Darby leads our Puget Sound Transportation and Community Building divisions as Vice President. She has been with Parametrix for two years and has a total of 25 years of industry experience.
How did you get interested in transit and transportation?
I actually started out... (more)
1-21-2021
Earning a professional engineer’s license is a major career milestone. Recently, four employee-owners at Parametrix passed the exam to earn theirs. Congratulations to Chris Johnson, Brandon Moss, Marcus Vassey, and Scott Weirich! I asked them a few questions about their careers and their advice for others. Read their responses below.
Chris Johnson
Chris joined the Seattle Transportation group in 2018. He graduated from Washington State University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
I have always been interested in science, how things work, problem solving, and building things. Th... (more)
1-08-2021
The Mukilteo multimodal ferry terminal opened to passengers on the evening of December 29. This is Washington State Ferries’ first new terminal in 40 years.
The facility includes a new terminal as well as new streets, roadways, sidewalks, a transit center, and improved links to the nearby Sound Transit Sounder commuter rail station.
Parametrix has been involved in this complex, collaborative project since 2010 when we began the traffic analysis and the NEPA/SEPA review. Federal Transit Administration requirements were met to relocate the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal to the site of a former Air Force/Navy jet fuel tank farm and munitions loading pier.
While the traffic and environmental analysis wrapped up by 2014, Parametrix conti... (more)
12-21-2020
By Bardia Nezhati, PE, PTOE
Co-authored by Vern Keeslar, AICP and Jackie Kuechenmeister, AICP
The I-15 Corridor is a major transcontinental north-south highway in the western United States that extends more than 1,470 miles through the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, and Montana. It serves as the economic artery linking San Diego and the Inland Empire of California with the Las Vegas metropolitan area of Nevada. An estimated 30 million tons of cargo are carried through the corridor each year.
Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) in partnership with Caltrans (California’s Department of Transportation), was awarded a National Economic Partnerships grant by the Federa... (more)
5-14-2020
From New York to Oakland, cities across the United States are closing lanes or entire roadways in order to expand bike lanes and pedestrian environments, giving people under stay-at-home orders more space to walk and bike safely in their neighborhoods.
Salt Lake City and the Utah Department of Transportation are no exception. The agencies responded quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with Parametrix and other partners, the team reviewed and synthesized traffic and active transportation data to better understand the implications of the pandemic. With this information, they were able to identify roadways most suitable for temporary lane conversion based on essential business proximity, housing density, and other factors.
One of those lanes, 900 South, was opened in April as a result of this partnership. Salt Lake City had initiated other street closures on smaller roadways starting with 500 North, but... (more)
2-21-2020
We're wrapping up Engineers Week 2020 today by introducing you to Harvin Flores. Harvin is a transportation engineer based out of Boise. He has 17 years of industry experience.
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
Growing up, I had an uncle that was a civil engineer and he was definitely a big influence for me. Engineering seemed like a fun job and I liked the idea of designing a project and having the opportunity to be out there inspecting it.
What do you enjoy most about your career in engineering?
There are many things that I truly enjoy about engineering. I enjoy the team work and collaboration that goes into successfully completing a project. I also enjoy the interaction with the public and local agencies to come up with the best solution for everybody.
I also really like how engineering allows you a ce... (more)
2-20-2020
To celebrate Engineers Week 2020, we're introducing you to several engineers at Parametrix. They'll be sharing what inspired them to pursue a career in engineering, what they enjoy most about their career, and their advice for up and coming engineers.
Today, meet Sheng-Wen Seow. He is a transportation engineer based out of Southwest Washington. He has over 20 years of industry experience.
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
I’ve always been interested in figuring out how things worked since I was young. When I was a kid, I dreamt of being either an inventor or a mad scientist. Now that I am older and wiser, I realize that while being an engineer may not be as “glamorous” as being an inventor or mad scientist, but it is a career that is realistic, suits my abilities, and serves the greater good. However, if you have the aptitude to b... (more)
2-20-2020
We continue the celebration of Engineers Week by introducing you to several engineers at Parametrix. They'll be sharing what inspired them to pursue a career in engineering, what they enjoy most about their career, and their advice for up and coming engineers.
Today, which also happens to be Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, we're excited to introduce you to Elizabeth Healy. Elizabeth is a transportation engineer based out of our Salt Lake City office. She has 5 years of industry experience.
What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering?
I wanted a career that was both rewarding and challenging. That, plus my LOVE of math made engineering seem like the perfect field to specialize in!
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