WTI

I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Pre-Construction Wildlife Monitoring

Primary Investigator Contact Information

External Project Contact(s)

Report(s)

There are no reports associated with this project.

Project Objective

Implement and document a pre-construction wildlife monitoring program for the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East construction project in Washington.

Project Abstract

The Interstate 90 corridor through Snoqualmie Pass is positioned between a number of important National Forests, wilderness areas and National Parks that provide refuge for a diverse array of wildlife species. As a result, the highway has created barriers to ecological connectivity for wildlife within and among these areas. The location has high levels of traffic, with an average of 28,000 vehicles passing through it on weekdays, and as many as 58,000 on weekends. Moreover, traffic levels are expected to double on this section of I-90 over the next 20-30 years. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) plans to widen this section of road from four lanes to six lanes, to accommodate increased traffic and higher speeds, and to enhance safety. As part of the widening project, WSDOT is investigating ways to resolve and address wildlife connectivity issues in the course of construction. In partnership with WSDOT and a multi-agency Wildlife Monitoring Technical Committee, WTI developed a Wildlife Monitoring Plan to guide the design and implementation of pre- and post-construction monitoring of ecological connectivity for wildlife. The Plan divides proposed monitoring activities into two tiers. Tier 1 will evaluate basic transportation management questions regarding the performance of crossing structures and fencing. Tier 2 will build on the results of Tier 1 to address more complex questions about the effects of the project and adjacent land use and management on wildlife populations. This project creates an ongoing partnership between WSDOT and WTI to implement components of the Plan for pre-construction monitoring. Through a series of individual Task Orders, WTI researchers will carry out pre-construction monitoring activities as needed and as directed by WSDOT. Types of tasks are generally described below, but will be specifically defined through the individual task orders and contract agreements. Task orders may evolve over the course of the contract, and complementary or supplementary tasks may be added as warranted by the findings of initial research.

Task Descriptions

1. I-90 Design Liaison.
   1. Review, recommend and assist with I-90 project design aspects related to wildlife movement, such as structures, bridges, fencing, walls, landscaping/vegetation, and lighting.
2. Partnership Coordination.
   1. Manage the lead role of coordinating wildlife monitoring project partnership efforts with potential partners from the scientific community, higher education and wildlife resources fields.
3. Baseline Wildlife Monitoring and Research Program.
   1. Develop and implement a baseline wildlife monitoring program that will collect the data required to evaluate the performance of crossing structures installed during the project.
4. Project Management.
   1. Manage and report on all aspects of the pre-construction wildlife monitoring program, including scope, schedule, budget, and deliverables.

Milestones, Dates, Schedule

Student Involvement

False

Relationship to Other Research Projects

False

Technology Transfer Activities

True

Transportation Research Board Keywords

Highway crossing structures, Wildlife monitoring, Connectivity

Partners

Washington State Department of Transportation