The WA Department of Transportation has released the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project, and it is a win for wildlife!  Structures for wildlife passage are proposed at the 14 major wildlife crossing areas within the project, which stretches 15 miles from Hyak to Easton.  That's nearly one safe passage point per mile! This will reduce collissions between wildlife and vehicles and help in connecting the wildlife habitat that is currently seperated by the highway.  A large portion of the wildlife habitat in that area was protected by our former campaign, The Cascades Conservation Partnership, and it is great to see the work continue.

Wildlife passage will be improved by:

• Replacing narrow bridges and culverts with longer, wider bridges and culverts to allow wildlife to move under the highway
• Adding wildlife exclusion fences and other features to keep wildlife off the highway and direct them to safe crossing structures
• Adding 2 vegetated wildlife overpasses at strategic locations to allow animals to move over the highway

The release of this important document is a key step in the timeline for the project and signals that construction for the first funded phase will begin soon.  The first 5 miles of the project are already funded by funds from the Washington State Legislature, and construction is to begin in 2010.  There is no funding to date for the remaining 10 miles of the project, but The Washington Potato Commission, Central Washington University, Kittitas County Commissioners, and the Conservation Northwest-administered I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition are among just some of the voices requesting a $29 million earmark in the federal Highway Reauthorization Bill to extend the first phase an additional mile to the end of the lake and for funding in the future.  Visit the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition site to learn more about the additional funding needs for this project.

Open houses will be held this month in Ellensburg, Bellevue, Hyak, and online.

To learn more about the project design, timeline, and open house locations visit the project webpage. We hope you will stop by or visit on-line in support of this win-win for wildlife and people! On the project page, be sure to check out the cool virtual tour to get a sense of the project. There is a great view of a forested overpass at 2:25.

 Yakima Herald, August 29th

"From a wildlife standpoint, it will be better after than it is today," said Charlie Raines of Seattle, campaign director for Interstate 90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition. "Because of the wildlife crossings, it will be a better highway than it is today. Safer for people and wildlife."

 Seattle Times, August 30th

"Improving the highway itself is a colossal undertaking, and efforts being made to improve traffic safety are phenomenal, said Patty Garvey-Darda, a wildlife biologist and acting ranger for the Cle Elum Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. But what sets the project apart, she said, are the efforts being made to improve wildlife habitat."