Program Overview

The Wildlife Crossing Program was established in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-58, November 15, 2021), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). See https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/wildlife-crossings for more information.

BIL includes several provisions to reduce WVCs and improve habitat connectivity.

Best Practices Study and Report

FHWA is conducting a study of the state of the practice of methods to reduce wildlife vehicle collisions (WVCs) (23 U.S.C. § 172(a)(1-2)). As part of this activity, FHWA will:

• Update and expand on the "Wildlife Vehicle Collision Reduction Study: 2008 Report to Congress" and "Wildlife Vehicle Collision Reduction Study: Best Practices Manual”;
• Assess the causes of WVCs, the impact of WVCs on motorists and wildlife, and the impacts of roads and traffic on habitat connectivity;
• Include solutions and best practices for reducing WVCs and improving habitat connectivity;
• Review research and data relating to WVCs and habitat fragmentation from transportation infrastructure;
• Survey current practices of USDOT and State DOTs (SDOTs) to reduce WVCs; and
• Consult with appropriate experts in WVCs and appropriate experts on the effects of roads and traffic on habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species.

FHWA is developing a report to Congress on the results of the study (23 U.S.C. § 172(a)(3)). As part of this activity, FHWA will include:  

• A description of the causes and impacts of WVCs, and the impacts of roads and traffic on different species;
• An economic evaluation of the costs and benefits of installing highway infrastructure and other measures to mitigate damage to wildlife, including the effect on jobs, property values, and economic growth; and
• Recommendations for preventing WVCs, including best practices and funding resources.

This activity is under development and FHWA is seeking input.

FHWA is working to update and expand the study to broadly address interactions between roads and wildlife, include impacts to a variety of species including small, medium and large terrestrial and aquatic species, and incorporate new research and information.

FHWA is planning to include the following components in the report:

• Transportation ecology overview;
• Impacts to wildlife;
• Impacts to people including societal and economic impacts;
• Solutions to reduce WVCs and improve habitat connectivity;
• Best practices to implement solutions; and
• Profiles of key species such as white-tailed deer, elk, cougars, black bears, desert tortoise, California tiger salamander, and fish.

If you have experience identifying, implementing, evaluating or researching best practices related to wildlife and vehicle conflicts and would like to provide feedback, case studies or research to assist FHWA in the development of this study and report, please email wildlifecrossings@dot.gov with the subject line “Best Practices Report”.

Statewide Transportation and Wildlife Action Plans

FHWA is developing guidance for developing a voluntary joint Statewide Transportation and Wildlife Action Plan (STWAP) to address WVCs and improve habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species (23 U.S.C. § 172(a)(3)(B)(iv)). As part of this activity, FHWA will consult with Federal Land Management Agencies (FLMAs), SDOTs, State fish and wildlife agencies, and Tribal governments that agree to participate in the development of the guidance.

This activity is under development and FHWA is seeking input.

FHWA is reviewing STWAPs, and State Wildlife Action Plans to identify components that are key to reducing WVCs and improving habitat connectivity.

If you have experience participating in, developing, implementing, or using STWAPs and would like to provide feedback to assist FHWA in the development of this guidance, please email wildlifecrossings@dot.gov with the subject line “STWAPs”.

If you are interested in the voluntary implementation of STWAP guidance, please email wildlifecrossings@dot.gov with the subject line “STWAP Implementation”.

Workforce Development and Technical Training

FHWA is developing a series of in-person and online workforce development and technical training courses for transportation and fish and wildlife professionals to reduce WVCs and improve habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species (23 U.S.C. § 172(b)).

This activity is under development and FHWA is seeking input.

FHWA is reviewing technical training courses to identify appropriate content and delivery methods. FHWA is planning to utilize content from the Best Practices Study and Report for the technical training courses.

If you have experience developing, implementing, or otherwise participating in technical training to reduce WVCs and improve habitat connectivity and would like to provide feedback to assist FHWA in the development of technical training, please email wildlifecrossings@dot.gov with the subject line “Technical Training”.

Collision and Carcass Data Methodology

FHWA is developing a standardized methodology for collecting and reporting spatially accurate wildlife collision and carcass data for the National Highway System (NHS) and planning for voluntary implementation of a template (23 U.S.C. § 172(c)). As part of this activity, FHWA will:

• Consider the practicability of the methodology with respect to technology and cost;
• Survey existing methodologies and sources of data collection;
• Identify and correct limitations of those existing methodologies and sources of data collection; and
• Consult with Department of Interior; US Forest Service; Tribal, State, and local transportation and wildlife authorities; Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs); Members of the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO); Members of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA); Experts in WVCs; Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); and other interested stakeholders.

FHWA is developing a template for State implementation of a standardized national wildlife collision and carcass data system for the NHS that is based on the standardized methodology; and will encourage the voluntary implementation of the template. As part of this activity, FHWA will:

• Submit a report to Congress describing the standardized methodology developed; and
• Submit a report to Congress describing the status of the voluntary implementation of the standardized methodology; whether the implementation of the methodology and the template have impacted efforts to reduce WVCs and improve habitat connectivity; the degree of that impact; and recommendations for further study to reduce WVCs and improve habitat connectivity on the NHS.

This activity is under development and FHWA is seeking input.

FHWA is working to develop a streamlined methodology by leveraging existing approaches, being agnostic of specific systems, and considering the practicability regarding resources and technology.

FHWA is planning to include the following components in the data methodology:

• Crash data such as time, date, location, and involvement with wildlife;
• Carcass data such as time, date and location; and
• Animal identification data such as common name and species.

If you have experience collecting, analyzing, utilizing, or applying wildlife vehicle collision and carcass data and would like to provide feedback to assist FHWA in the development of this methodology, please email wildlifecrossings@dot.gov with the subject line “Data Methodology”.

If you are developing data methodology and are interested in the voluntary implementation of a data methodology template, please email wildlifecrossings@dot.gov with the subject line “Data Methodology Implementation”.

National Mitigation Threshold Guidance

FHWA is developing guidance containing a threshold for determining whether a highway must be evaluated for potential mitigation measures to reduce WVCs and increase habitat connectivity (23 U.S.C. § 172(d)). As part of this activity, FHWA will:

• Consider the number of WVCs that pose a human safety risk;
• Consider highway-related mortality and the effects of highway traffic on various species; and
• Consider habitat connectivity values and the barrier effect of the highway on the movements and migrations of those species.

States may carry out the guidance on a voluntary basis.

This activity is under development and FHWA is seeking input.

FHWA has held workshops to capture input on how to establish a mitigation threshold.

If you have experience identifying, implementing, evaluating or researching thresholds related to wildlife and vehicle conflicts, and would like to provide feedback to assist FHWA in the development of this guidance, please email wildlifecrossings@dot.gov with the subject line “Threshold Guidance”.

If you are interested in the voluntary implementation of a national mitigation threshold guidance, please email wildlifecrossings@dot.gov with the subject line “Threshold Guidance Implementation”.

Wildlife Crossing Design Standards

FHWA is including wildlife considerations such as “Wildlife Crossing Structure Handbook: Design and Evaluation in North America” (2011) in developing Design Criteria for the NHS (23 U.S.C. § 109(c)(2)(F).

This activity is under development and FHWA is seeking input.

FHWA is proposing to include wildlife considerations in the next edition of the Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, and is updating the Wildlife Crossing Structure Handbook (2011).

If you have experience utilizing the Wildlife Crossing Structure Handbook (2011), or are involved in the design of wildlife crossing structures and associated infrastructure, and would like to provide feedback to assist FHWA in the update of the Handbook, please email wildlifecrossings@dot.gov with the subject line “Design Handbook”.

Feedback

FHWA welcomes feedback on these program activities. Please email wildlifecrossings@dot.gov to provide feedback.

Program Overview

• Wildlife Crossings Program