Wildlife warning system on Highway 95 near Moscow
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Wildlife warning system on Highway 95 near Moscow
Nov 30, 2009 9:51 AM (19 hrs ago) By MIKE PRAGER, AP
Idaho transportation officials think they've come up with a way to
keep motorists and moose apart on a mountainous stretch of U.S.
Highway 95 north of Moscow.
A solar-powered infrared detection system was installed this fall
along a 2,200-foot section of the highway on Steakhouse Hill on the
west side of Moscow Mountain.
At an elevation of 3,050 feet, the area is known for its migrating
wildlife.
When deer or moose pass through the infrared beam, a flashing beacon
goes off to warn drivers that animals may be on or approaching the
roadway. The beacon runs for about 40 seconds each time the beam is
interrupted by an animal.
The beacon is on top of a yellow warning sign that shows the image of
a jumping deer.
"It's definitely a safety issue," said Joe Schacher, an engineer for
the Idaho Transportation Department. "I think it's going to be a great
system for us."
Caution signs have been posted along the route for years, but the new
system adds an immediate warning when animals actually move into the
roadway or next to it.
Crashes involving animals can be deadly. Two Inland Northwest
motorists have died this year after their vehicles collided with
animals. One accident involved a moose on Interstate 90 near Liberty
Lake, and the other involved a deer in Pend Oreille County.
The $200,000 installation was financed by federal economic stimulus
funds. The equipment came from a company in Minnesota where as many as
10,000 vehicles a year are involved in accidents with deer.
Schacher said other segments of highway could get the warning systems
if the one on Steakhouse Hill proves successful.
The infrared beams might not be suitable for mountain passes because
snow buildup could block them, he said. Also, crews will have to make
sure vegetation doesn't grow into the light beams.
Washington does not have any similar systems in this region, officials
said.