Determining Effectiveness of Wildlife-Vehicle Collision Mitigation Projects

The objective of this research is to estimate passage rates or relative use of crossing structures for large mammals and identify other wildlife species using crossings at constructed and planned wildlife-vehicle collision mitigation projects for a 2 – 3 year period. In instances where fencing will be constructed during the study we will compare use of crossing structures over time to evaluate the effectiveness of the fencing. Specific research objectives are: • Compare wildlife passage rates or relative use of crossings with studies done in other western states. • Identify infrastructure shortcomings or other factors that contribute to low passage rates or low relative use rates. • Collate and review wildlife-vehicle collision and carcass collection data to determine the effectiveness of constructed projects in reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions, or at least document baseline wildlife-vehicle collision rates for planned projects. • Create a guide for designing effective wildlife crossings and for improving existing drainage structures for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), elk (Cervus elaphus), black bear (Ursus americanus) and Mountain lion (Puma concolor). Cameras were mounted at multiple crossing locations at highway sites across New Mexico to identify passage rates by animal species. Additionally, carcass and crash data are being collected and analyzed to estimate impact of mitigation interventions on traffic crashes. Finally, at one location, driver responses to radar triggered signs is being monitored and evaluated.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $569,016.77
• Contract Numbers:

  R917034

  R920050

• Sponsor Organizations:

  New Mexico Department of Transportation Research Bureau

  7500 Pan American Freeway NR
  Albuquerque, NM  United States  87109

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  New Mexico Department of Transportation Research Bureau

  7500 Pan American Freeway NR
  Albuquerque, NM  United States  87109
• Project Managers:

  Hadwiger, David

• Performing Organizations:

  Arizona Game and Fish Department

  2221 West Greenway Road
  Phoenix, AZ  United States  85023-4399
• Principal Investigators:

  Gagnon, Jeff

• Start Date: 20161101
• Expected Completion Date: 20251031
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: Research and Development
• Subprogram: Research

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Wildlife; Wildlife crossings
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01739681
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: New Mexico Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: R917034, R920050
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 21 2020 3:02PM