The Case for a Nationwide Commitment to a Systematic Network of Highway Crossings for Wildlife

Wildlife-vehicle collisions are a growing problem and represent an increasing percentage of the accidents on the roads. The latest US transportation act authorized officials to reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality and maintain habitat connectivity across roadways. The authors present the case why they should set their minds, efforts and monies towards a nationwide commitment to a systematic network of wildlife crossings. In the last 20 years, studies have increasingly shown the successes of wildlife crossing structures in reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and allowing safe passage. Crossing structures are effective mitigation measures with many benefits including increased motorist safety, monetary savings from property damage, wildlife protection, connected habitats, genetically viable wildlife populations and resiliency to changing climate. To attain a systematic network of crossings many local, state, tribal, and federal agencies need to collaborate on projects where their missions overlap. The authors propose a handful of modest improvements that would significantly improve the legal framework supporting implementation of wildlife crossing structures. They also suggest partnerships be used as a tool to advance wildlife crossing structures. The authors provide case studies that illustrate, people and agencies care and wish to contribute to make wildlife crossing projects happen. If they can follow through on most of their recommendations the result will be a transformed US road network that benefits people and is sensitive to the needs of wildlife.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADC30 Standing Committee on Ecology and Transportation. Alternate title: The Case for Nationwide Commitment to a Systematic Network of Highway Crossings for Wildlife
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Clevenger, Anthony P
  • Ament, Rob
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 96th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2017-1-8 to 2017-1-12
• Date: 2017

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 19p
• Monograph Title: TRB 96th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crashes; Environmental protection; Habitat (Ecology); Networks; Wildlife crossings
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01623401
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 17-00898
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 24 2017 3:32PM