Washington to Build Animal Overpass on I-90
The State of Washington will build a natural overpass that will allow migrating animals to safely complete their journey without having to cross a major interstate highway.
The Seattle Times reports the overpass will be built over I-90 east of Snoqualmie Pass so that bear, elks, foxes and other species can safely move around the region. The overpass will be 150 feet long and mimic the natural environment of the area, complete with soil, trees, and flowers native to the region.
It is expected to open in 2019 and cost $6.2 million.
The new overpass is part of a larger effort being undertaken on 15 miles of I-90 that is intended to make life easier for the area's animal population. There are also a series of underpasses and a number of culverts will be redesigned as well. Four of the underpasses have already been completed.
The projects are part of $1 billion that have been set aside to expand the I-90 from four to six lanes and make other improvements, such as making the road less vulnerable to avalanches.
The wildlife mobility projects are intended to restore connectivity between the north and south Cascade mountains, which the highway bisects. This bisection is particularly troublesome for apex predators like bears, that need a large area to hunt in.
While some may wonder how the animals will know to use the over and underpasses, it has been demonstrated that animals, and herds in particular, adapt to human changes of the environment. A herd of German deer that had its migratory patterns interrupted by fences put up during the Cold War still follow the same path they took after the fences were installed.
