Washington appears to be deadlocked at the moment over the $ 3.5 trillion infrastructure bill, a fight that also traps the Senate passed by the $ 1.2 trillion package. The crux of the problem is with a couple of opposition members in the US Senate, but negotiators hope to bridge the gap through various concessions. If they succeed, the initial $ 1.2 trillion bill contains funds to help bridge the gap between wildlife habitats separated by roads.
$ 350 million of an infrastructure bill is reserved for construction projects to improve the movement of wildlife across destructive highways. By building overpasses and underpasses, animals will be able to move between habitats, reducing the number of collisions. More than a million such clashes occur each year across the country, resulting in 29,000 injuries and 200 deaths, as well as incalculable loss of animal life. The dollar amount in damages paid by drivers, as well as by the state and federal governments, exceeds $ 8 billion. The Infrastructure Act aims to reduce these costs and mitigate the impact of the roadway on wildlife habitats.
Projects Covered by the Infrastructure Bill
Investments in wildlife crossings will target high-traffic areas on roads passing through wildlife habitats. $ 350 million in 5 years of construction, crossings, and fencing to guide wildlife towards the crossing and avoid collisions. They are following in the footsteps of projects such as Highway 97 in Washington state, where several underpasses have been built in recent years to reduce collisions. Deer and moose now have safer routes to cross busy freeways.
In addition, an additional $ 1 billion, distributed over the same five-year period, will be allocated to local, state and tribal governments to repair and replace faulty culverts. Designed to carry water flows under roads, these pipes often prevent salmon populations from entering cold water habitats. Pew Charitable Trusts Project Director Nicole Cordan told Oregon Public Broadcasting: “When we take out a dam or culverts, we see an impact on the entire ecosystem, bringing back salmon and other critters that eat the fish.”
In addition, another $ 250 million will go to repair forest roads and trails.
Treacherous road crossings
The US Department of Transportation created the Mortality Analysis Reporting System in 1975. It records annually, among other statistics, the number of human casualties resulting from encounters with wild animals. Each subsequent decade has seen a steady increase in the number of deaths per year, from less than 100 in the 1970s to more than 200 in recent years. Animal deaths are based on assumptions, but estimates range from one to two million. While most of the animals hit by cars are deer, road deaths also pose a significant threat to a number of endangered species. Animals such as the Florida panther, the red wolf and even the American crocodile face the threat of injury and vehicle death in addition to many other threats to humans and the environment.
But collisions are just one of the hazards associated with roads in wildlife habitats. The importance of transitions is the ability of animals to migrate between different habitats. This provides access to both feeding and mating sites and new gene pools. When populations become isolated, they lose genetic diversity, making the group more vulnerable. This is the main driving force behind the creation of, for example, the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
In addition, rumbling cars and trucks pollute the air with destructive noise, which is especially dangerous for birds. They flee the unrest, leaving areas that would otherwise contribute to their survival. Some, like quail, even suffer from hearing loss.
The efficiency of wildlife crossings
Research on the impact of wildlife crossing around the world has shown that this simple solution saves lives as well as money. From Florida to Australia to Mexico, these mitigation efforts have proven successful. Speaking to National Geographic, Rob Ament, program manager for road ecology at the Western Transportation Institute, said: “You can get 85 to 95 percent discounts with crossings and fences that guide animals under or over highways.”
One of the keys to success is ensuring the right transition for native wildlife species. Depending on preferences, the animal may prefer a flyover over an underpass, an open passage over a tunnel. For example, cougars and black bears tend to use passages with less light and less space – preference is determined by their forest homes over prairie. By using familiar plants and building crossings according to the comfort of the animals, these crossings better blend infrastructure with the environment.
Ultimately, when the infrastructure bill is passed, these funds will help preserve wildlife in a world that is increasingly hostile to animal species.