Analysis on the construction of wildlife crossing structures on I-90
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Event Website
https://source2022.sched.com/
Start Date
18-5-2022
End Date
18-5-2022
Keywords
Wildlife crossing structures, Road ecology, Wildlife collisions
Abstract
Roads have allowed for increased connectivity between humans, but also fragment animal habitats and impede movement. When animals do move across roads, wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) can occur, which endanger people, are costly, and cause unnecessary mortality in wildlife populations. Reducing wildlife collisions protects biodiversity while also protecting people. Construction of wildlife crossing structures on I-90, which started in 2008, has aimed to reduce wildlife collisions for those reasons. The Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has collected data on the number of WVCs occurring on I-90 in the construction area, as well as a control area, from August 2008 to the present. In addition, wildlife cameras have been deployed to document the usage of wildlife crossing structures both before and after their construction. Based on those data, I used generalized linear mixed-models to analyze the effect of construction on both wildlife-vehicle collisions and movement of wildlife across the highway. Construction of the wildlife crossing structures has resulted in safe passage across the I-90 freeway thousands of times, for species ranging from ungulates such as elk and deer to carnivores such as coyotes,' preventing wildlife collisions from occurring. Increased time since construction is associated with an increase in the number of crossing events, especially for deer and elk within the Price/Noble Creek area overcrossing. Implementation of these wildlife crossing structures on I-90 has allowed for connectivity between habitats while decreasing the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions as animals can now safely cross the barrier created by the I-90 freeway.
Recommended Citation
Walker, Cade, "Analysis on the construction of wildlife crossing structures on I-90" (2022). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 104.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2022/COTS/104
Department/Program
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Additional Mentoring Department
Biological Sciences
Analysis on the construction of wildlife crossing structures on I-90
Roads have allowed for increased connectivity between humans, but also fragment animal habitats and impede movement. When animals do move across roads, wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) can occur, which endanger people, are costly, and cause unnecessary mortality in wildlife populations. Reducing wildlife collisions protects biodiversity while also protecting people. Construction of wildlife crossing structures on I-90, which started in 2008, has aimed to reduce wildlife collisions for those reasons. The Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has collected data on the number of WVCs occurring on I-90 in the construction area, as well as a control area, from August 2008 to the present. In addition, wildlife cameras have been deployed to document the usage of wildlife crossing structures both before and after their construction. Based on those data, I used generalized linear mixed-models to analyze the effect of construction on both wildlife-vehicle collisions and movement of wildlife across the highway. Construction of the wildlife crossing structures has resulted in safe passage across the I-90 freeway thousands of times, for species ranging from ungulates such as elk and deer to carnivores such as coyotes,' preventing wildlife collisions from occurring. Increased time since construction is associated with an increase in the number of crossing events, especially for deer and elk within the Price/Noble Creek area overcrossing. Implementation of these wildlife crossing structures on I-90 has allowed for connectivity between habitats while decreasing the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions as animals can now safely cross the barrier created by the I-90 freeway.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2022/COTS/104
Faculty Mentor(s)
Alison Scoville