Keeping the Northwest wild Spring/Summer 2015 7
Dignitaries from WSDOT, the
Federal Highway Administration,
the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition
and others get their hands printed
at the groundbreaking. The prints
will be displayed on the sides of
the overcrossing along with animal
tracks. Chase Gunnell
If you haven't already, watch
our new video on this project:
Connecting Wildlife Habitat
Over and under i-90
conservationnw.org/i90
monitoring wildlife traveling through the Snoqualmie Pass area, as well
restoring habitat and native vegetation near the new crossing structures.
Part of Phase 2 of WSDOT's I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project,
the Price/Noble Wildlife Overcrossing will be the first over a major
highway or freeway in Washington state. One of the largest and most
ambitious wildlife crossing structures ever built in the country, it will
reconnect vital habitat on either side of one of the nation's busiest
mountain passes.
Several major wildlife underpasses have already been completed
during Phase 1 of the project, and remote cameras show many of them
are already in use by creatures big and small.
When finished, the section of I-90 from Snoqualmie Pass to Easton
will include more than 20 underpasses and overpasses for wildlife, fish
and amphibians, including endangered or threatened species such as
bull trout and wolverines. Dozens of small culverts and creek crossings
will also be rebuilt or expanded.
"We think this is going to make a lot of difference for wild-
life," said WSDOT project manager Brian White in a Seattle
Times interview.
As if to underscore the importance of the wildlife crossings
project, an elk was killed by a vehicle on I-90 at Price Creek on
the morning of the groundbreaking. e collision happened
just yards from where the new overcrossing is now under con-
struction.
e entire project is expected to cost close to $1 billion,
funded primarily through a gas tax imposed by the state leg-
islature in 2005. e Price/Noble Wildlife Overcrossing is
budgeted at $6.2 million. Construction is scheduled to be
complete in 2019.
Feature: I-90 milestones
Conservation Northwest volunteers
restore native plants near the Gold Creek
undercrossing, improving habitat for fish
and wildlife.
Chase Gunnell
Staff from CNW, WSDOT, USFS and
other conservation groups and partners
pose in front of a rendition of the Price/
Noble Wildlife Overcrossing at the June
groundbreaking. Chase Gunnell
