Using Prison Technology to Avoid Roadkill

" Highway officials are testing a system that involves a cable buried parallel to the highway. The cable emits an electromagnetic field that is calibrated to detect large animals.

When an animal is detected, electronic signs are activated to warn drivers.

To prevent cars from triggering the signs when they enter U.S. 50, separate sensors were installed to detect vehicles and send a signal that would keep the warning signs dark.

The pilot project includes seven speed radar detectors to register traffic counts and track drivers' speed outside and inside the test zone.

‘The variable we're looking for is motorist behavior,' CDOT environmental specialist Tony Cady said. ‘To test the validity of this system, we need to determine if there's a drop in speed and also whether this is a long-term behavior change, or just something motorists stop reacting to after a period of months.'"