Volunteers keep eye on wildlife along Interstate 90

While driving with her husband to Ellensburg from Seattle on Interstate 90 in fall 2009, Paula MacKay cringed at the sight of a coyote, lying limp on the side of the road. As she investigated the scene, she saw the coyote had been carrying a piece of deer hoof.

"This guy was just literally trying to eat dinner," MacKay said. "Then - bam! He's gone."

Experiences like these helped inspire local, state and federal organizations to support a year-long citizen-based wildlife monitoring program called I-90 Wildlife Watch.

Since its launch in November 2010, the primarily grant-funded program has received more than 200 reports of wildlife sightings through its website.

MacKay is a research associate for the Montana State University's Western Transportation Institute. She works at the institute's regional office in Ellensburg, which coordinates wildlife-monitoring programs for Snoqualmie Pass projects. MacKay said the success of the program has warranted an extension of the program to at least November 2012.

"This information that we're collecting really is an invaluable addition to our data set and demonstrates the important role that motorists can play in making roadways safer," MacKay said.

The data gathered from citizen reports will allow for fine-tuning of construction of wildlife passages planned throughout the 15-mile stretch of interstate between Hyak and Easton. The Washington State Department of Transportation's Snoqualmie Pass East Project is a $551-million effort that includes three large habitat extensions for wildlife to cross above traffic, and the expansion and creation of more than a dozen wildlife underpasses.

The project also includes constructing additional traffic lanes, expanding the snowshed, reducing sharp curves and installing avalanche fences.

It should be complete in fall 2017.

"Different structures can be designed with different species in mind," MacKay said. "We want to (further) identify hotspots for a species that's trying to cross."

Volunteer Byron Langley started regularly reporting his wildlife sightings two months ago. Langley commutes back and forth to work in Bellevue at an IT firm from his home in Ronald about four or five times a week. So far, he's reported about 25 sightings of mostly deer and elk. He's also spotted a hawk through his car's sun-roof.

"The (reporting) process takes less than three minutes - a very simple task," Langley said. "It's remembering the details that can be difficult."

Langley keeps a notepad and pen close to him during his commute to record the closest mile-marker and any other details that may be relevant. He said it has been easy to integrate wildlife awareness into his normal driving habits, to become a more "vigilant driver."

"I saw this option to volunteer as an easy thing to do to help contribute to a better environment for traffic and animals," Langley said. "And it's interesting to see the patterns that occur."

Now that he's actively looking for wildlife, Langley said he's been able to get a feel for where and when to expect their interactions, or lack thereof, with traffic.

"I was surprised at how much I saw - I have about a 60 or 70 percent observation rate," he said. "It's rewarding and fun and helps support the animals."

During initial research for the wildlife structures, Brian White, WSDOT assistant regional project administrator, spoke with officials from a similar wildlife bridge project in Banff, Canada. White found that pre- and post-construction wildlife monitoring and public involvement were lacking in the Canadian project. White said the I-90 Wildlife Watch program is a part of "learning from that project" by gathering as much data as possible.

"It's just one more way to confirm the data that the scientists are seeing," White said.

The information gathered will supplement the data acquired from other studies performed in the area by partnerships with many different organizations including the Western Transportation Institute, WSDOT, U.S. and Washington State Departments of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service, I-90 Bridges Coalition and Central Washington University.

The more data you have, the better your analysis will be," White said.

The program is part of a broader attempt by transportation and wildlife officials to make Snoqualmie Pass safer for both motorists and wildlife, White said.