January 2020 to January 2021

About a year ago I met with Rick Hoar and Kent Kebe from the Lake Windermere Rod and Gun Club about the alarming mortality rate of Bighorn Sheep due to traffic on the Radium hill (Highway 93/95).

From that discussion, I pulled together a group of professionals and experts from a broad spectrum of organizations. These were organizations I felt would be best to address this decades-old concern. Since March 2020, our working group has been sharing various forms of data from the highway, and information on the sheep’s behaviour in and around the Village of Radium Hot Springs.

The most concerning highway section is just south of the village, and our group concluded that a highway overpass south of the village would give the sheep the best chance at thriving while keeping drivers safe.

In the fall of 2020 our Wildlife Biologist with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development (FLNRORD) successfully requested and received funding to have a study and report done on this project. In addition, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) assigned a 10-person design team to assist with this project. MOTI has also successfully secured $300,000 for the upcoming budget year that will take this project to the next level; MOTI’s investment will go towards a geotechnical survey of the hill, creating a concept of the overpass, and research into fencing options.

Our initial funding success from each of these two ministries is primarily due to the discussions and data sharing within the working group. Even though we are working through a pandemic, an impressive amount of work has been accomplished within the various levels of government/agencies on this project.

Despite the dedication and expediency of this group, we are still in the initial stages of the project. Having said that, I think it is important to share this development with you; I will continue to provide more information as it becomes available.

For now, let’s enjoy the win for our iconic Bighorn Sheep, and for Columbia River-Revelstoke.

I want to thank the following local organizations who continue to stay involved with my offices in the working group (listed below in no particular order).
The staff of these organizations who lend their expertise and support to this issue/project are what contributed to our region’s initial success, and I thank you.

Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, & Rural Development
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Parks Canada
Village of Radium Hot Springs
Shuswap Indian Band
Akisqnuk First Nation
Regional District of East Kootenay
Lake Windermere Rod & Gun Club
R.C.M.P.
Columbia Basin Trust
B.C. Conservation Officer Service

Alternatives Explored

Many constituents have contacted me and have suggested many potential solutions.
I have learned that highway safety and wildlife management are backed by science and what may look like an obvious solution can potentially be higher risk.
What is absolutely clear is the need for a comprehensive science-based BC Wildlife Management Plan.
I will be working with stakeholder groups to make it happen.

Source materials for the points listed below is from the work of Wildlife Biologists (Link to Study below):
Marcel P. Huijser, PhD, Research Ecologist and Kylie J.S. Paul, MSc, Research Associate Lauren Oechsli, MSc, Research Associate Rob Ament, MSc, Road Ecology Program Manager Anthony P. Clevenger, PhD, Senior Ecologist Adam Ford, MSc, Research Ecologist

1. Reduce Speed Limits - Although speed reduction and the enforcement of speed limits have important safety benefits, wildlife casualties are unlikely to be substantially reduced as a result of increased speed management efforts on Hwy 93S through Kootenay and Banff National Park. The current speed limit is 90 km/h and even if one would be successful in keeping vehicles from speeding altogether (current operating speed, 85 percentile, is 111 km/h), a vehicle speed of 90 km/h is still estimated to be too fast to be able to result in a substantial reduction of casualties (Huijser & Paul 2008).
   [ Nonetheless, should one decide to influence driver behavior when most wildlife-vehicle accidents occur, beneficial effects are most likely between 5 pm and mid-night and between 5 am and 7 am.]
   Current operating speed (111 km/h) is substantially higher than the maximum speed limit (90 km/h) already. Lowering speed limit may lead to increased speed dispersion and higher crash rates. Design speed will make drivers, especially to infrequent visitors, want to drive the perceived save speed, which is at least 90 km/h, probably even higher. Enforcing maximum speed limits substantially lower than the design speed will likely be experienced as “unjust”.

2. Erect Fencing - Wildlife fencing is among the most effective mitigation measures to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and forms an important part of this highway mitigation plan. However, wildlife fencing alone increases the barrier effect and should typically be combined with safe crossing opportunities for wildlife. Such crossing opportunities may consist of wildlife underpasses or overpasses, or at grade crossing opportunities, with or without additional measures such as permanent warning signs or animal detection systems.

3. Alternative de-icing compounds for the hill/Salting Block Placement away from the highway
   Using less sodium chloride or replacing sodium chloride with alternative deicing or anti-icing substances may substantially reduce the time certain species, e.g. bighorn sheep, spent on or alongside the road. However, such alternative substances may have other negative side effects and their implementation should also be considered experimental. Issue at Radium is habituation of the herd to this easily accessible salt source. Location of salt blocks away from the highway is difficult given snow-pack and predation.

4. Animal Detection Systems - Not suitable for very high traffic volumes. Detects large animals only. Animals are allowed to cross at grade; the design of the measure allows drivers/wildlife to still be exposed to risk. The number of at grade crossings may not be sufficient to ensure long term population viability for all species. When combined with wildlife fencing, wildlife is directed to road at fence ends or at gaps, and this may cause Parks Canada/Ministry to be liable in case of a collision, especially if the animal detection system may not have been working properly. Species that depend on right of way vegetation may use the at grade crossing to access that vegetation and end up in between any fences. Some of the systems are not operational during the day. Curves, drops and rises in the right-of-way, access roads, pedestrians, winter conditions (including snow spray from snow plow and snow accumulation, can cause problems with the installation, maintenance and operation. The presence of poles and equipment in the right-of-way is a potential hazard to vehicles that run off the road. Animal detection systems can be aesthetically displeasing.