Fish and wildlife monitoring in the I-90 corridor informed project design, and ultimately will help us understand the impact of the improvements made to the highway.  Our coalition helped to launch to important monitoring efforts that continue today:  I-90 Wildlife Watch and the Citizen Wildlife Monitoring Project.

I-90 Wildlife Watch

Deer crossing under I-90 in the Gold Creek wildlife underpass. Photo credit: WSDOT

I-90 Wildlife Watch is a collaborative information sharing website serving dual purposes:

  1. Collecting reports of live and dead wildlife sightings along I-90 in the Snoqualmie Pass region of Washington state from motorists. The data motorists provide will allow public agencies and conservation groups information about the movement of wildlife within the I-90 corridor.
  2. Sharing the results from multi-party fish and wildlife monitoring in the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project area and surrounding habitat.

Visit www.i90wildlifewatch.org to learn more.

Citizen Wildlife Monitoring Project

Volunteers from a citizen wildlife monitoring team installing cameras during the winter.

In 2006 in partnership with Wilderness Awareness School and Conservation Northwest, the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition helped to launch a wildlife monitoring program that put people out into the field to help us better understand wildlife movement and animal presence in the I-90 wildlife corridor and throughout the Cascades with remote cameras and snowtracking.  This program continues today as a statewide Citizen Wildlife Monitoring Project led by Conservation Northwest that maintains remote cameras and snowtracking in the I-90 corridor.  Learn more by visiting the program page.

 

2 Comments

Andy · November 28, 2020 at 6:18 pm

I like the safety aspect of diverting wildlife away from hazardous highway crossings to overpasses. I’ve seen these used in Canada with great results. It begs the question of if more of these ought to be installed throughout the state… one location might be the I-90 grade between Vantage and Ryegrass rest stop for the elk herd that cross I-90 and are a hazard to Washington State motorists…

Jeff Stephan · November 23, 2021 at 6:33 am

Yes, more of these would be a great idea!
I just returned to Washington after years away and this beautiful overpass peaked our curiosity and discovery of its purpose. Thank you everyone who made this exception undertaking a reality. I love Washington and now have another reason to boast about how wonderful it really is. Sincerely, Jeff Stephan

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