Press Release:  Conservationists applaud I-90 groundbreaking

Advocating high quality wildlife passage

I-90 Expansion east of Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade Mountains

Just east of Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade Mountains of Washington, the state Department of Transportation is proposing to expand Interstate 90 from four lanes to six.

This stretch of freeway cuts across several north-south wildlife corridors that must be protected and restored to preserve healthy wildlife populations. State citizens and the US Congress have spent tens of millions of dollars over the last few years to acquire and protect habitat within these corridors and provide for an upgrade and expansion that protects people from avalanches and too-few lanes and wildlife from crossing collisions.

The freeway expansion, known as I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East, can actually improve the situation for wildlife with new structures that allow wildlife to safely travel over or under the freeway.

The I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition is working with a diverse set of organizations and agencies to ensure the project meets a high standard for wildlife connectivity as well as human safety and transportation efficiency.