Wildlife Data Collection and Potential Highway Mitigation Along State Highway 75, Blaine County, Idaho

This report investigates historic and recent road mortality data (mostly for mule deer and elk) along a 26 mi. long road section of S.H. 75 in Blaine County, Idaho (between Timmerman Jct (Jct with Hwy 20) and the Trail Creek Bridge in Ketchum, Idaho). The project aimed to review potential mitigation measures (presented in a separate report), and to collect and analyze historic and current wildlife-vehicle collision (WVC) data and provide advice on potential mitigation measures, including animal detection systems (this report). Road mortality data were collected by the Idaho Department of Transportation (carcass data), the Idaho Highway Patrol (wildlife accident data), the Western Transportation Institute and the public. The public was asked to enter road mortality data as well as live animals observed in a web based database. The minimum number of road killed deer and elk along the 26 mi. long road section was estimated at 134 in 2007, a sharp increase over previous years (25-40), most likely because of increased search and reporting effort. The road mortality data were used to identify road sections that had the highest number of road-killed mule deer and elk: between mile post 118.4 and 119.1, just north of Hailey. This section was reviewed with regard to the suitability for the installation of an animal detection system. Based on the projected costs and benefits of animal detection systems, the benefits of an animal detection system at the location described above may be much greater than the costs for such a system. Furthermore, different systems and their characteristics are discussed with regard to their potential implementation at the road section identified above. Finally, six options are presented with regard to the implementation of mitigation measures for the road section concerned. These include, but are not limited to, animal detection systems.

• Record URL:
  https://westerntransportationinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/4W1403_Final_Mitigation_Report.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Western Transportation Institute

  Montana State University, Bozeman
  P.O. Box 174250
  Bozeman, MT  United States  59717-4250

  Board of Blaine County Commissioners

  206 First Avenue South, Suite 3000
  Hailey, ID  United States  83333

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Huijser, Marcel P
  • Kociolek, Angela V
  • Oechsli, Lauren
  • Galarus, Doug E
• Publication Date: 2008-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Edition: Research Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 141p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Animal vehicle crashes; Benefit cost analysis; Countermeasures; Crash data; Data collection; Deer; Detection and identification systems; Fatalities; Habitat (Ecology); Highway safety; Road kill; Traffic crashes; Wildlife; Wildlife crossings
• Uncontrolled Terms: Animal detection systems; Elk
• Geographic Terms: Idaho
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01123429
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 4W1403B
• Contract Numbers: Project No. STP-2390 (157)
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 13 2009 9:40AM