TxDOT Research Library - Publication Details

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Title:

Incorporation of Wildlife Crossings into TxDOT’s Projects and Operations

Report No.:

FHWA/TX-19/0-6971-1

Authors:

Lisa Loftus-Otway [and six others]

Published:

2019

Austin, Texas

University of Texas at Austin. Center for Transportation Research

Type:

Online document + Hard copy

1 volume (xix, 317 pages)

Online Access:

https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/ctr-publications/0-...

Access Note:

13.6 MB

Summary

Each year close to 8,000 crashes involving wild or domestic animals are reported in Texas. Roughly 20 people die each year on Texas roadways in these crashes, many more sustain injuries, and thousands of animals lose their lives. Reduction of animal-vehicle collisions (AVCs), especially wildlife-vehicle collisions (roughly 70% of thetotal AVC count), is a TxDOT goal and a key objective of this study. To reduce AVCs, it is important to provide opportunities for wildlife to cross beneath or above roadways via special crossing structures. This project reviewed all options for animal-vehicle conflict mitigation and provides guidance for all DOTs. This report summarizes national and state-level efforts to reduce animal-vehicle conflict, analyzes Texas's AVC data,explains how to identify AVC hot spots, and provides benefit-cost ratios for various AVC mitigation efforts across the TxDOT highway system.

To help ensure wildlife crossing considerations can become routine part of state DOT project development processes, this work also recommends specific language modifications to 18 TxDOT manuals and provides a new manual on wildlife crossing structures. The project findings demonstrate that data-driven, carefully planned, and well-designed wildlife crossing structures can enhance traffic safety significantly, are cost-effective across much of the TxDOT network, and help ensure that TxDOT can play a meaningful role in preserving human and animal lives and property for the benefit of current and future Texans.

Publ. Place

Austin, Texas

Contents

Chapter 1. Synthesis of Existing Literature and State of the Practice in Wildlife Crossing Structures --
Chapter 2. Texas Needs Assessment --
Chapter 3. Crash Data and Hot Spot Analysis --
Chapter 4. Benefit-Cost Analysis of Wildlife Crossing Structures and Other Mitigation --
Chapter 5. Legal Issues Surrounding Animal Vehicle Conflicts --
Chapter 6. Recommended TxDOT Manual Modifications --
References --
Appendix A. Final Value of Research (VoR) Estimate --
Appendix B. Overview of Wildlife-Vehicle Conflict Literature --
Appendix C. Listing of Texas Mitigation Structures --
Appendix D. Survey Questions --
Appendix E. Review of Other State’s Manuals --
Appendix F. Motorcycle-Animal Collision Hot Spots --
Appendix G. Benefit-Cost Analysis Results --
Appendix H. Field Trip to Pharr District

Notes

"February 2019; Published June 2019"

Study Number

TxDOT Research Project 0-6971

Study Title

Incorporating Wildlife Crossings into TxDOT's Project Development, Design and Operations Processes

Study Sponsor

Lead University

CTR

Print Copy

Collection:

TxDOT/ University Research

Call Number:

6971-1

Copies Owned:

Reference Copy

More Like This

TxDOT Research Projects Database

Page:

Topics

Wildlife crossings
Recommendations
Crash causes
State of the practice
Benefit cost analysis
Laws and legislation
Roadside fauna
Animal migrations
Road kill

Proper Names

TxDOT ENV Division
TxDOT PHR District

Places

Texas

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blc2242

Cited in 2022 FHWA Pooled Fund TPF-5(358) report 700-18-803B, "The Strategic Integration of Wildlife Mitigation into Transportation Procedures: Final Report."

11/2/2023 at 11:12 AM

Helpful?

blc2242

Cited in 2022 FHWA Pooled Fund TPF-5(358) report 700-18-803C, "The Strategic Integration of Wildlife Mitigation into Transportation Procedures: A Manual for Agencies and Partners."

11/2/2023 at 11:41 AM

Helpful?

blc2242

Cited in 2022 FHWA Pooled Fund TPF-5(358) report 700-18-803A, "The Strategic Integration of Wildlife Mitigation into Transportation Procedures: Practices, Partnerships, and Next Steps."

11/2/2023 at 11:53 AM

Helpful?

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cover thumbnail

Study

TxDOT Research Project 0-6971

Contributors

Loftus-Otway, Lisa Dawn
Jiang, Nan, Ph. D.
Cramer, Patricia Catherine, 1960-
Oaks, Noah
Wilkins, Devin
Kockelman, Kara
Murphy, Mike R.

Updated

1/16/2022 1:36:57

Cataloged

July 03, 2019 12:13:39

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