IDAHO, USA — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Idaho’s first wildlife overpass, built last year on State Highway 21 just east of Boise, has won a national award in the “Environment & Planning” category of the AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) President’s Transportation awards, the Idaho Transportation Department announced Thursday.
It was one of two awards won Thursday by ITD, and was the 23rd AASHTO President’s award, signifying the best work nationally by a state transportation department, won by ITD since 2014, an ITD news release said. The second award was for cultural discoveries associated with the McArthur Lake project in North Idaho.
“These two AASHTO national awards again prove that our employees are fantastic,” ITD Chief Deputy and Chief Operations Officer Dan McElhinney said in the release. “The SH-21 Lucky Peak wildlife crossing is a great partnering example, and the U.S. 95 McArthur Lake Bridge showcased excellent Tribal teamwork, to solve wildlife safety with cultural preservation success.”
The $7.5M project constructed a 150-foot-long wildlife overpass and more than a mile of big-game fencing parallel to the highway to guide animals to the overpass, significantly reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions on the busy highway section. The project improved motorist safety and protected the well-being of residents and commuters, along with wildlife, the release said, while also benefiting the traveling public, hunting and recreational heritage, and helping sustain the benefits Idaho’s wildlife resources and public lands provide.
ITD wildlife-vehicle crash safety data and Department of Fish and Game GPS data determined the location of the overpass by finding where most migrating mule deer and elk crossed the highway — a step in the long-range vision to promote safety, mobility, and economic opportunity along SH-21 between Lucky Peak and Idaho City, the release said. The goal is to reduce wildlife collisions in the area by 80%.
“When I look back to where we were and came from, ITD started from scratch, with a simple notion and idea to meet and talk with stakeholders and people with differing interests and contrasting missions regarding the unwanted consequences of wildlife vehicle collisions and what can be done about it,” Project Manager Scott Rudel said. “This award celebrates the collaborative work and accomplishments done in the name of safety, protecting the health and welfare of people and wildlife, preserving our natural resources, and maintaining our quality of life (recreational and hunting heritage) which benefits all who live in Idaho, the traveling public and our wildlife populations. It gives credence that by extending that collaborative hand, ITD ‘bridged’ the gap and found a better way to do things on so many different levels.”
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
