Fremont County officials concerned about potential wildlife crossings

Residents in the Island Park area are opposing potential fencing and wildlife crossings along the Highway 20 corridor towards the Montana border.

The Island Park area is one of the most active wildlife areas around. But the active animals lead to wildlife-vehicle accidents, the second leading type of vehicle accident in the area. The Idaho Transportation Department is looking at many different options to fix the issue.

“We’ve developed five alternatives,” said Karen Hiatt, engineering manager for ITD. “Amongst those alternatives is a no-build, there’s one that has three animal crossings, one that has one animal crossing plus some animal detection systems. There’s a fourth one that has just animal detection systems and then a fifth one that doesn’t have, just has some operational like adding some signs.”

The wildlife exclusion fence and wildlife overpass crossings are just a part of the proposed project. ITD says they need to make many improvements including re-constructing the road, adding drainage and widening the shoulders.

“The main objective of the project is for the safety and mobility,” Hiatt said. “So whether there’s, you know, recreation vehicles and passing opportunities that needed to be put in or turn lanes. Just mostly safety improvements is what we’re looking at.”

Fremont County officials including the sheriff, county commissioners and mayors of cities in the county are all against the potential fence and crossings. They believe the money for the $22 million project could be better spent somewhere else. They are also concerned about preserving the beauty of the area.

“People have a majestic view of the mountains, and the meadows and the forest and the creek,” said Island Park Mayor Tom Jewell. “And they don’t particularly want to take that view through a chain link fence. So all in all, eight elected officials in Fremont County and the residents of that area are opposed to this fencing proposition and the overpasses.”

Instead of the fence and crossings, they propose lowering the speed limit in the area to 45 miles per hour.

“We think that we give the animal a better chance to avoid the vehicle,” Mayor Jewell said. “And the vehicle and driver a chance to avoid the animal.”

The Idaho Transportation Department says they have not made a decision on the fence and crossings yet. They’re waiting on the results from an environmental assessment, which they will present to the public, before making a final decision later this summer. You can learn more about the project here.