Habitat Restoration Breakout Session

1. Habitat RestorationBreakout Session Missouri Department of Transportation US Fish and Wildlife Service Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge Shannon Kusilek, P.E. Missouri Department of Transportation

2. Missouri Department of TransportationDistrict Offices

3. Project Location

5. Existing Roadway Characteristics • 3 bridges in poor condition • Structurally and operationally deficient • 50 year flood design • Narrow driving lanes (10 ft.) • Narrow shoulders (2 ft.) • Poor pavement condition • Steep side slopes – no clear zone

6. Existing Roadway Characteristics • ADT • 950 (2003) • 1250 (2023) • High % of large vehicles • RV traffic • Farm trucks and equipment

7. Bridge over Squaw Creek

8. Bridge over Squaw Creek

9. Bridge and Roadway

10. Overflow Structure #1

11. Overflow Structure #2

12. New Roadway Design • Project length 2.21 miles • Replace all 3 bridges • 100 year food design • Bridge elevation raised 12 ft. • Roadway elevation raised average 4 ft. • 12 ft. driving lanes • 6’ shoulder width • 6-3/4” pavement thickness • Clear zones added

13. Typical Section of New Roadway

14. Challenges for New Roadway • Environmental • 4(f) considerations • Missouri River floodplain • Wetland mitigation • Eastern Massasuga Rattlesnake • Construction • Fill material – 147,000 cy needed • Haul distance for fill – 4 miles round trip • Utilities

15. Revised Typical Section • Moved centerline 40 ft. to the north to avoid the Squaw Creek Wildlife Refuge Property

16. Borrow Area Location

17. Designing the Wildlife Pool • Must use existing flooding ditches to fill/drain pool area • Transition depths between 2 ft. And 4 ft. • Create islands within the flooding area • Repair low spots along Squaw Creek levee • Improve access road along north side of pool area • Pull off viewing area • Maintain existing pool

18. Final Design – Wildlife Pool

19. Wildlife Pool – Before Construction

20. Wildlife Pool – After Construction

21. Completed Bridge

22. Summary of Cooperation • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • Donated 147,000 cy of fill material for project • Issued special use permit for access onto 35 acres • Repaired low spots along levee • Allowed use of levee for haul road • Collaborated on design of wildlife pool

23. Summary of Cooperation • MoDOT • Modified alignment of new roadway • Designed and oversaw the construction of the wildlife pool • Acquired all environmental permits • Improved access road to view pool • Participated in cost for Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake

24. Benefits of Cooperation • US Fish and Wildlife Service • New wetland area for migratory birds • New viewing area for the pool • Increased tourist opportunity • New field entrance on east side of Squaw Creek • Repaired levee

25. Benefits of Cooperation • MoDOT • Savings • $150,000 in Right of Way • $800,000 in excavation and hauling costs • Construction time was reduced by 20% • Haul distance reduced • No utility relocations needed • Able to complete project in one season

26. Questions?