Highway elk tunnel funded

Enough money has been raised for the state to proceed with construction of a wildlife underpass on Montana 206 east of Kalispell.

"The funding all came in, and that's great news," said Jim Lynch, director of the Montana Department of Transportation. "I'm looking forward to the project."

Just a week ago, the state was $15,600 short of the estimated $229,000 needed to build the underpass as part of a shoulder-widening project already planned for the highway.

The Flathead County commissioners stepped forward with $5,000 and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks committed roughly $7,000 from a special wildlife mitigation fund. The balance was rounded out with individual contributions fueled by an e-mail campaign.

"It really caught on fire," said Ben Long, chairman of the Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, in reference to the e-mail campaign that's been under way for the last week.

"It was just a real organic, person-to-person phenomenon," Long said. "It shows that people care about two things: They care about wildlife and they care about safety. It was a classic win-win situation."

JIm Williams, regional wildlife manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, said the wildlife crossing is mainly possible because of Jay and Sandy Whitney, the landowners who contributed land for the crossing on both sides of the highway and $21,000 toward the project.

"It takes a family like the Whitneys to make something like this happen," Williams said.

Jay and Sandy Whitney are impressed by the broad support for the project.

"We're elated," Sandy Whitney said. "It was an absolutely overwhelming coalition of people and organizations that made it happen."

Other contributors included American Wildlands, the Yellowstone to Yukon initiative, the Wildlife Land Trust and the developer of a subdivision south of the wildlife crossing location.

Jay Whitney said he and his wife originally considered an opportunity for a cattle crossing when they learned about the highway improvement project about two years ago. After consulting with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials, they realized the crossing would be ideal for wildlife.

The crossing is in an area regularly used by an elk herd. There is an abundant deer population and grizzly and black bears are known to move through the timbered corridor surrounding the crossing area.

The Whitneys put 109 acres of land on the east side of the highway under a conservation easement in 1998. And just last week, they finalized an easement through the Montana Land Reliance for an additional 80 acres, with 40 acres west of the highway.

The Whitneys said the easement was necessary to ensure that the wildlife crossing wouldn't some day be surrounded by houses. As development continues in the general area, run-ins between people and the elk herd and other wildlife are expected to increase.

Last month, a vehicle struck an elk near Yeoman Hall Road, less than a mile from the proposed crossing.

The crossing essentially will be an extra-wide, bottomless culvert under the highway, with trees and other vegetative cover on either side. "Wing fencing" will be installed to help funnel wildlife to the underpass.

Lynch said the underpass construction will occur when the highway improvement project gets under way next March.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com