Wildlife Crossings as Key Infrastructure

Writing in Governing, Matt Skroch explains the value of investing in wildlife crossings and other infrastructure projects that help urban and regional planners understand wildlife migration patterns and protect animals from traffic collisions.

According to Skroch, “These accidents lead to some 200 human deaths and 26,000 injuries each year, resulting in more than $8 billion in property damage, health-care costs and lost workdays, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.” For the animals, and the industries that depend on them, the news is equally bad. “In Wyoming, for example, the mule deer population, which supports more than $300 million in annual hunting-related spending in the state, has decreased by 40 percent since 2000, due in large part to habitat fragmentation caused by roads and development.”

Yet Skroch writes that “Advances in research technology over the past decade have revolutionized experts’ understanding of how wildlife move across landscapes and are now helping to resolve wildlife-vehicle conflicts that are rising due to increased development.” Today, GPS collars and well-placed under- or overpasses can help researchers understand movement patterns and keep animals out of harm’s way.

“In the face of climate change, sustaining these landscape connections is more important than ever, as it helps provide greater ecosystem resilience for species that migrate between habitats,” Skroch argues. Federal officials have taken note. “On the federal level, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 includes billions of dollars over five years for wildlife and aquatic connectivity programs, along with $350 million for a new wildlife-crossing construction program.” In Los Angeles, the world’s largest wildlife crossing broke ground earlier this year.