Campaign News:  Motorists, wildlife both win with I-90 expansion

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Bridging Futures II Contest

Winning ad designed by Jack Gellatly of Open Windows Elementary School in Bellevue, WA.  Billboard to the right will begin running just off of I-90 in Ellensburg during June!

In 2006, our coalition teamed up with WSDOT and WA Foundation for the Environment to bring you a second year of the Bridging Futures Contest. We worked with statewide children in classrooms and through our website to educate them about issues surrounding wildlife and our roads with a specific focus on the I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project. 

We then asked the children to use the information we provided to produce drawings that show how we can collaborate to benefit both animals and people in the I-90 Project.

The winning ads were selected by I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition Director Charlie Raines and Secretary of Transportation Doug MacDonald. 

We are proud to present the grand prize winner, two runners up, and best essay awards.

Thank you to the classrooms from Ellensburg to Kingston for participating in our second successful year!

	Jack, I think helping the wildlife cross the road safely is a good idea because wildlife (animals) help us in so many ways and provide us with food, all of our dairy products and they eat bad things that are bad to humans. They also help plant trees because when an animal eats a plum. It poops out the plum seeds in a different area which grows a tree, and trees help humans breathe.   ** Grand Prize Winner
	Jenay, My picture is about a deer standing on top of a bridge that goes on top of I-90 saying that he feels a lot safer.  He feels safer because instead of having to risk his life trying to cross the road, he can just simply walk over this bridge and go to the other sides as many times as he wants to without getting hurt!  I think this idea will be a great new piece of land for the I-90 highway. It will save lives of humans and animals. Good luck. ** Runner-up
	Carly, My picture is about what the bridge pass for wildlife should look like. Although it should be a bit wider. I think that my picture represents how people, and wildlife can, and should be safer. I really hope that the people who are doing this really should use my picture as an influence for dozens of people.
	Paige. ** Runner-up
	Rebekah, I say we should protect animals and wildlife. They are part of us. We should make underground tunnels for animals, and lower the speed limit, because if you do they will protect wildlife, animals, and people. It will prevent crashes and roadkill. Roads danger opossums, bobcats, bears, eagles, owls, coyotes, skunks, and many other animals. The opossums first instinct is to stop, listen, and sniff. But by then, they're gone. Same with other animals. Dead. Gone. So we really need underground tunnels. And some signs. People go too fast on the highway! But, okay, some people are either sick, drunk, or just plain crazy. Or kids make trouble. But, yes, we need to help animals. ** Best essay winner
	Samantha, The I-90 coalition projects and ideas are very important to the protection of animals and human safety.  Each year about 24 elk are killed on I-90 and that is only one species of animal.  Imagine how many total animals get killed each year on I-90.  Thanks to the coalition there is now going to be a safer way for animals to cross the highway!!  They are building bridges over highways for animals like deer and bunny rabbits.  And dips beneath the main highways for animals like muskrats, fish, bears, raccoons, and much more.  Hopefully places all over the world will start incorporating these dips and bridges into their normal day life.  With the help from the government and the I-90 coalition many species of animals will make a comeback!

Runner-up Jenay and Grand Prize winner Jack showing off their ads with their teachers at Open Windows School.

Contest co-sponsored by:

Washington Foundation For the Environment