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Deschutes County commissioners back corrected letter supporting ODOT wildlife-crossing grant
Summary
Board heard from Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership on a Bend–Suttle Lake wildlife-passage project, asked technical questions about crossings and herd-vehicle strike numbers, and voted to approve a corrected letter of support for ODOT's application to the federal Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program.
The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners voted on June 1 to approve a corrected letter of support for an Oregon Department of Transportation grant application to the federal Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program, after staff and outside advocates described a proposed Bend–Suttle Lake wildlife-passage project that would place several overpass crossings to reduce vehicle–wildlife collisions.
Jan Powers, strategic initiatives manager, introduced Kristen Henry of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, who said the coalition’s feasibility work identifies three or four likely overpass crossings between the Black Butte area and Indian Crossing that would restore seasonal migration routes and reduce risk to motorists. "I'm here to request a letter of support from this board for ODOT's application to the Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program," Henry said.
Henry said overpasses tend to be used more readily by elk than undercrossings and that the project team has value-engineered earlier cost estimates to be more competitive. Commissioners asked about dimensions, whether crossings must accommodate freight and legal highway clearances, and how many vehicle strikes occur in the region. Henry and staff discussed competing figures in project documents; the letter on file and staff documentation listed differing ranges (one draft shows 200–650 vehicle strikes annually while another source lists 350–600), and staff agreed to reconcile the numbers before finalizing the letter.
Commissioner comments emphasized both wildlife conservation and motorist safety. One commissioner said the county can address at least one factor contributing to wildlife mortality by supporting permanent crossing infrastructure. After discussion, a commissioner moved and a colleague seconded approval of the draft letter with the condition that the strike-rate numbers be corrected and clarified. The board called the vote; commissioners present voted in favor. Staff said they will ensure the letter and its supporting figures are consistent before submission to ODOT.
Why it matters: The pilot program distributes discretionary federal funds and is competitive nationwide; a county letter can strengthen ODOT's application for a project that the presenter said would reduce collisions and protect seasonal elk migration routes.
Next steps: Staff will adjust the strike-rate figures in the draft support letter for consistency with project documentation and submit the letter as part of ODOT's competitive application. The federal program and award schedule will determine whether the project advances to detailed design.
