Wildlife jaywalking isn't good for anyone

The voiceover on this video is funny, but sadly, the plight of this beaver to find its way across the busy roadway is not unique.  Right here in Washington State, we are about to lose the chance to allow wildlife to safely cross I-90 in an area where wildlife passage connects to important wild areas. 

Just east of Snoqualmie Pass, I-90 is under construction on a wildlife underpass at Gold Creek that will allow wildlife and fish safe passage under the roadway.  The next phase of construction will add a chain up area for the west bound lanes and construct the first wildlife over-crossing. These facilities will substantially improve safety for winter travelers and reduce collisions with wildlife, while replacing deteriorating pavement on the existing roadway. They also will keep ecological connectivity smack dab in the center of more than 45,000 acres you and 16,000 Washingtonians helped protect through The Cascades Conservation Partnership.

Continuing the Partnership's work, The I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition has brought together a diverse group of stakeholders--conservation groups, freight businesses, agencies, and more-- to help include wildlife crossing in the I-90 expansion designs. We shouldn't waste this opportunity to make I-90 safer!

They estimate saving just over $100 million on contracts in building this 5-mile first phase because of lower construction costs and the Coalition's collaborative work. This year, we are asking transportation leaders in Olympia to allow the project to use just 1/2 of these cost savings which would allow WSDOT to build the next phase of the I-90 project including Washington's first ever wildlife overpass at Rock Knob.  We realize these are very tough economic times in our state, but re-investing a portion of the savings from the first phase of construction for this project will have short and long term economic benefits to our state.

Do you agree that roadway safety, habitat connectivity, and wildlife passage are important in the improvements on I-90 east of Snoqualmie? Please take action today!