TxDOT Research Library - Publication Details

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Title:

0-6971, Incorporating Wildlife Crossings into TxDOT's Project Development, Design and Operations Processes

Report No.:

Summary Report 0-6971-S

Authors:

Research Performed by: Center for Transportation Research; Research Supervisor: Nan Jiang; Researchers: Lisa Loftus-Otway [and five others]

Published:

2019

Austin, Texas

University of Texas at Austin. Center for Transportation Research

Series:

Project Summary

Type:

Leaflet + Online document

1 leaflet (2 pages)

Online Access:

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

Access Note:

338 KB

Summary

Summary

"Each year an average of 7,585 crashes are reported to Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) that involve either wild or domestic animals. From 2010 to 2017, 160 people lost their lives in these crashes and thousands more sustained injuries. The crash data are limited, however, in that they only represent crashes where a police report is created. Many more animal-vehicle conflicts occur where an individual might not either report the crash or file a claim on their insurance, and the animal may be hurt but moves away into cover, or may be killed but not noted through the official police process. The number of large mammals killed could be five to ten times higher. These collisions diminish human safety and cost Texas citizens millions of dollars every year in vehicle damage, medical costs, carcass pickup and disposal, and other associated time and monetary costs. To reduce these collisions, and make Texas roads safer for the traveling public, it is important to provide opportunities for wildlife to cross beneath or above the roadway via wildlife crossing structures. The CTR research team summarized national and statewide efforts to reduce animal-vehicle conflict, analyzed the animal-involved crash data in Texas, developed methodology to identify animal-vehicle crash hot spots, and evaluated the benefits and costs of developing certain wildlife crossing structures. The research team also conducted a comprehensive review of state laws pertinent to wildlife crossings and analyzed the responsibilities of TxDOT under National Environmental Policy Act through the lens of case law."

Publ. Place

Austin, Texas

Notes

"Project Completed: 2-28-2019"
• "DC.Date:6/26/2019"--PDF Properties.

Study Number

TxDOT Research Project 0-6971

Study Sponsor

Lead University

CTR