Success and momentum for wildlife crossings
2019 was a big year for wildlife crossings. The Greater Yellowstone Coalition has long been working to increase roadway safety by providing funding and building support for wildlife crossing projects. We are happy to report that this past year several successes were achieved helping to build momentum for wildlife crossing projects around the ecosystem. Following is a recap of a few of the projects we assisted in moving forward; click on the highlighted links to take a deeper dive.
$10 Million for Wildlife Crossing Projects in Teton County, Wyoming
GYC - working with our local partner the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, and with the support of several other organizations – formed a political action committee to help pass a $10 million wildlife crossing measure as part of Teton County’s Special Purpose Excise Tax (SPET) vote. This measure received overwhelming support from the community with 79% of Teton County voters voting to fund wildlife crossings projects at top priority locations identified by the Teton County Wildlife Crossing Master Plan.
GYC will remain involved in the process of how these funds are used moving forward - stay tuned for updates and next steps on wildlife crossing projects in Teton County, Wyoming.
Wildlife Crossings and the Snake River Bridge Replacement
Chris Colligan, GYC’s Wildlife Program Coordinator works out of our Jackson, Wyoming office, and has worked with the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT), Teton County staff, and our local partners on wildlife crossings for over a decade. WYDOT is planning to replace the Snake River Bridge on Highway 22 and redesigning the busy intersection at highway 22 and 390. GYC has been advocating for wildlife crossings to be a part of this road improvement and has helped with researching moose in this crucial north-south riparian corridor along the Snake River. Construction will begin in 2023 and WYDOT has committed to including wildlife crossings to improve human safety and wildlife movement in this important corridor.
Wildlife Conservation License Plates
Wyoming's Wildlife Conservation license plate made its debut Jan. 1, 2019. The plate features a magnificent mule deer buck peering out from a sea of Wyoming grassland prairie and provides funding to WYDOT’s Wildlife Conservation Fund that is dedicated to wildlife mitigation on Wyoming roadways. GYC worked with our partners to lobby for this license plate, attending legislative sessions and organizing events to raise support around the state. A total of 1,253 Conservation License Plates – representing all 23 counties in Wyoming – have been sold statewide, exceeding the three-year goal in the first year these plates have been available.
$14.5 Million BUILD Grant for Dry Piney deer crossings
GYC partnered with WYDOT to support the Dry Piney Project in a competitive federal highways grant process known as BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development). In late 2019, WYDOT was notified they were awarded $14.5 million toward the project, which is estimated to cost around $18 million. The funding will be used to build a series of underpasses, fencing, and related improvements along a 19-mile stretch of US 189 between La Barge and Big Piney in southwest Wyoming. To our knowledge, this is the first time a BUILD grant has been awarded for conservation purposes.
$100K for Dry Piney Wildlife Crossing Project
GYC is proud of the relationship we have with WYDOT and our ability to assist them in creating safer roadways. At the close of 2019, and thanks to the Volgeneau Foundation, GYC donated $100,000 to WYDOT for the Dry Piney wildlife crossing project and contributed to other fencing improvements in southwest Wyoming. This funding is a local match that is being leveraged many times over by the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust Account, contributions from WYDOT and Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and the federal BUILD grant. We applaud the WYDOT’s leadership to make our roadways safer for our families as well as our wildlife.
Conservation Easement Secured to Help Protect Critical Mule Deer Migration Area in Southeast Idaho
In Idaho, GYC collaborated with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to provide funding to help purchase conservation easements at Rocky Point, a crucial migration area for mule deer in southeast Idaho. These easements have opened the door for solutions that will decrease the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions and allow mule deer to migrate. Idaho Fish and Game and the Idaho Transportation Department are working together to design wildlife crossing improvements for this segment of highway and GYC is proud to support this important work.
Roadway Safety in Island Park, Idaho
The Greater Yellowstone Coalition submitted comments to the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in support of wildlife crossings at Targhee Pass on US Highway 20 through Island Park, Idaho. We advocated for wildlife overpasses with fencing because it provided the best solution to increase driver’s safety and allow for wildlife movement. ITD and FHWA plan to release the Final Environmental Assessment for Targhee Pass this spring, which will determine the next steps for this stretch of roadway. High Country News wrote a thoughtful article on the fight for these much-needed wildlife crossings and the challenges we’ve faced throughout the process.
Wildlife Crossings South of Jackson Wyoming
GYC staff are continuing our work with WYDOT to complete a two-phase, multi-year project to build six wildlife crossing underpasses and two fish passages on Highway 89/191 just south of Jackson, Wyoming. Crossings and fencing work for the northern section were completed in 2019 and we look forward to seeing this project to its completion in 2020.
GYC is committed to collaborating with our partners to ensure that our roadways are safe for our families as well as our wildlife, and will continue to work on this issue in 2020 and beyond.
-Mac Dukart, Communications and Engagement Associate
