Highway Wildlife Corridor Analysis

January 27, 2016
Group 4: Highway Wildlife Corridors
Sara Dunleavy, Wylie Hampson, Corrine Hoffman, Riane (Justine) Mantz, Katherine Midkiff and Ksenia Usoltseff
Issue Analysis #2- Actors, Interests, and Influences
Identify the primary actors that are involved in your issue. If there are numerous actors, identify those you think are most relevant to the issue. When Washington state decided to install new wildlife corridors both over and under Interstate-90 through out Snoqualmie Pass, there were many different groups of people that became actors and stakeholders in the project. Of the diverse people involved with this project there are a few that are more relevant than others. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)
In this particular instance the coalition is working to influence the development of a project led by a government agency. The I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition is made up of varied people and organizations, including the Mountains to Sound Greenway, the Conservation Northwest, and the Cascade Conservation group (“I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition: About Us”). The I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition is the main organization that has been working to procure both support and extra funds for the wildlife corridor project. And finally, the last major actor in the I-90 wildlife corridor project is all of the people that travel over Interstate-90 in that area. The public is a particularly important actor that encouraged the “I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project” to include both overpasses and underpasses. However, support from the public would not be possible if the public was unaware of the need for such a project. This is where the use of different forms of media come into play, “without the media, issues could not get widespread public attention” (Cubbage et al., 1993b). For example, through the use of a billboard the “I-90
So why are all of these people and organizations getting involved in the new I-90 wildlife corridor project? The WSDOT project to improve the overall conditions of I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass as well as implementing the wildlife overpasses and underpasses is estimated to cost around $1 billion (“I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition: Project Funding”). This means that if the wildlife corridors do not work as intended, or reduce auto collisions with wildlife, then WSDOT will look like one of the main groups at fault in the eyes of the public. However, should the wildlife corridors be successful, the WSDOT will be praised for both improving the safety of drivers, and for being environmentally friendly and helping wildlife cross the freeway. It’s a similar story for the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition. Because the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition came up with the idea of building the wildlife corridors and established ways to fund the corridors, a lot of the weight falls on their shoulders. If the wildlife corridors are unsuccessful in their purpose then the public will look at them as a waste of tax dollars, and ultimately blame the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition. However, if the wildlife corridors are as successful as they are supposed to be then the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition will be saving lives, improving the quality of life for the wildlife in the