10564000-Draft_Scope_of_Services.pdf

10564000 - I-90 WILDLIFE CROSSING STUDY

(Missoula to Garrison Wildlife Accommodations Feasibility Study)

The primary goal of the I-90 Wildlife Crossing Study (Study) is to evaluate wildlife crossing accommodation(s) strategies that will maximize the reduction of wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC), while providing safe passage for wildlife movement within a 68-mile segment of I-90 between Missoula, Montana and Garrison, Montana.

This planning study will be a two-to-three-year study focusing on identifying important terrestrial wildlife movement corridors and use this information to determine the need, type, and feasibility of constructing one or more wildlife crossings that will effectively accommodate both wildlife and motorists.

Location: The study area lies within a rural landscape on Interstate 90 (I-90) between Missoula, Montana at reference post (RP) 106.0 (Lat: 46.8669043, Long: -113.9756350) and Garrison, Montana at RP 174.0 (Lat: 46.5239895, Long: -112.8172424). The total study area length extends 68 miles, and adjacent property ownership includes a mix of residential, commercial, public lands that include the Lolo and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests, ranch land, agriculture, and railroad properties. Twelve interchanges exist within the study area allowing access to local communities and the Clark Fork River. Other traffic infrastructure in the study area includes railroads, frontage roads, and local access roads.

The awarded firm will be responsible for:

Scope of Services

• Literature search: Completing a literature search on existing research documents that pertain to wildlife species and their needs. Known wildlife species in the study area include bears (grizzly and black), mountain lion, North American wolverine, Canada Lynx, bighorn sheep, elk, deer (mule and white-tailed), and a variety of small mammals (coyote, fox, raccoon, etc.).

o The awarded firm will complete a summary report by species of the literature review and submit to the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) for review, approval, and distribution

• Establish methodologies, criteria, and metrics for monitoring the study area:

Establishing the proper protocol for monitoring methods and techniques to ensure the correct and justifiable data is collected to determine the need and appropriate locations for potential future installation of wildlife crossings. MDT and partners will assist, review, and comment on the protocols and methods.

• Outreach/Coordination: Setting up monthly update meetings (minimum of one hour) with MDT and partners. Meeting minutes and distribution of minutes are the responsibility of the awarded firm. Other various meetings may occur on a to-be-determined timeline.

• Public outreach and education: This will be ongoing throughout the study with public meetings, notices, coordination with adjacent landowners, and a maintained website dedicated to the study. The awarded firm will be responsible for providing content for the website

• Research historical trends and baseline conditions for the study area: Researching existing data on general terrestrial wildlife and grizzly bear movements in the vicinity of the study area. This will be a group effort with the awarded firm, MDT, and partners. The baseline conditions will be reviewed to determine existing structure sizes compatible for wildlife use and document any existing impairments to wildlife (fences, railroads, other roads, human development, Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)).

• Monitoring and data collection: Managing monitor efforts within the study area and collecting the appropriate data based on the protocols and information obtained from the steps above. This activity will include close coordination with the awarded firm, MDT, and partners to ensure this activity is being done efficiently and to address any issues that arise.

Three key sources: MDT datasets on traffic volume (AADT), WVCs, and carcasses; United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) historical and baseline records, including bear populations and movements;

and FWP records on deer and elk movements and populations, which will be used to create baseline conditions for the study. Monitoring techniques will be, but not limited to, wildlife/trail cameras (awarded firm will be responsible for purchasing or renting), landowner interviews, existing grizzly data from radio-collars, track sand beds, and on-site investigations.

• Engineering: Geotechnical and Hydraulic investigations and reviews, if needed, to determine construction feasibility (overpass, underpass, existing structures, jumpouts, wildlife guards, flashing beacons, fences, etc.)

• Cultural Resources: Completing a high-level cultural investigation to document existing cultural sites within the study area limits.

• Prepare draft needs and feasibility report: Compile and analyze all data and information collected during the previous activities and compile this information into a draft report in Word format that depicts the need, type and feasibility of wildlife accommodation feature, and most optimal locations for the most effective wildlife accommodation(s), as well as the ideal wildlife accommodation type for review by MDT and partners. MDT and the partners will review and edit the draft, and the awarded firm will make revisions and resubmit the draft to MDT for a final review. This process may repeat depending on review of the resubmitted draft to MDT.

• Final needs and feasibility report: Make final revisions, if needed, complete final formatting, and submit to MDT for final approval and distribution (pdf format). The final report will be available to the public on the study’s dedicated website.