For decades, drivers, wildlife officials and conservationists have voiced concern over the growing number of vehicle-wildlife collisions along Interstate 90 in the Ninemile/Sixmile region west of Missoula.

Now, a long-awaited project aimed at improving safety for both motorists and animals is finally taking shape.

The stretch of I-90 between the Ninemile and Huson exits has seen repeated tragedies, including a July incident where a semi-truck struck and killed 11 elk. Between 2017 and 2021, wildlife-vehicle collisions accounted for 34% of all reported crashes in the area, nearly triple the statewide average.

Billings-based HDR Engineering has begun a feasibility study to explore possible wildlife crossing solutions. At a public open house Oct. 21 in the Ninemile Community Center, Brittany Cremer, strategic communications and public relations specialist with HDR Engineering said, “Right now, we’re actually in the feasibility phase to examine, ‘Is it possible?’ By August 2026, we’ll have a good idea of what alternatives and recommendations make the most sense and the estimated costs.”

The project is being advocated by the Western Montana Connectivity Group, which is working to secure funding through a combination of private donations and federal grants.

State Sen. Denley Loge confirmed that several bills passed during the last legislative session have earmarked funds for wildlife-safe passage projects. “We’ve been aware of Sixmile and the animal collisions for years,” Loge said. “There was even talk of putting sensors on the game trails to warn drivers, but that never came to pass. Now, we’re looking at something more permanent and effective.”

Similar projects along I-90 between Drummond and Jens and also on U.S. 93 through the Flathead Reservation have shown promise, using underpasses, escape ramps and high fencing to successfully guide animals to safe crossing points.

The new proposal for the Sixmile area may involve removing fill dirt and constructing a bridge under I-90, a design that would allow elk, bears, deer, foxes and coyotes to move safely between habitats where these critters prefer a big wide space to move through, versus dark culverts. 

“An overpass would be too costly for this location,” explained Kylie Paul, a Road Ecologist with the Center for Large Landscape Conservation. “A bridge underpass is more feasible and aligns with our goals which is to provide safe wildlife passage and restore fish movement in Sixmile Creek.”

Restoring fish passage, especially for the westslope cutthroat trout, has been a long-standing priority for west-central Montana's Region 2 of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Paul noted that while bull trout haven’t been confirmed in the creek, the cutthroat’s status alone has helped draw attention to the project. 

“There are certain times of the year that the water is moving too fast for the fish to move upstream and this is the perfect time to remedy that issue.”

Local residents who have witnessed the dangers firsthand are welcoming the initiative. “I’ve personally seen 13 elk get smucked on that curve heading into Missoula,” said Sharon Sweeny, a Ninemile resident and retired U.S. Forest Service Ranger. “There are fresh blood stains almost every day. It’s heartbreaking and dangerous.”

According to Jon Schick, Project Manager with HDR Engineering, the feasibility study began in May and is being supported by the Wildlife and Transportation Partnership, a joint effort between state and federal agencies. Public display boards at the Ninemile Community Center highlighted proposed features such as “intermediary jump outs” which are dirt ramps built inside high-fenced areas that allow animals to escape if they become trapped inside the right of way. 

“It’s a safety feature,” Schick said. “If an animal gets onto the highway side of the fence, the jump-out gives it a way to escape back to safety.”

Public input is being collected at mdt.mt.gov/publicinvolve/sixmile as the project team continues its early design and environmental studies.

While it may take years before construction begins, many see the effort as a crucial step toward safer roads and healthier wildlife populations in western Montana. This is the first process that is required to advance for funding on a project that is long overdue.