Collisions between vehicles and wildlife in the U.S. continue to pose a significant and costly safety challenge for drivers and a major threat to habitat connectivity and wildlife conservation. On average, more than 1,000,000 wildlife vehicle collisions are documented annually, costing over $8 to $10 billion in societal impacts and safety risks for motorists and animals. These crashes involve a wide range of species, including deer, elk, bears, mountain lions, and endangered populations, and the collisions occur on rural highways as well as busy interstate corridors.
Recognizing the scale of this problem, state and federal agencies have increasingly turned to structural solutions, such as wildlife overpasses, underpasses, and strategically placed exclusion fencing, to reduce collisions and restore habitat connectivity. Engineered crossings, when paired with guidance fencing, have been shown to dramatically reduce wildlife vehicle collisions for both large and medium sized mammals by providing safe passage across busy roadways.
Federal grant programs are an important source of funding for these projects. Under recent notices of funding availability, the program set aside up to $145 million for fiscal year 2025 and up to $80 million for fiscal year 2026, with awards spanning dozens of states, tribes, and local agencies seeking to address collision hotspots. Many upcoming projects, similar to ones described in this column, will be launched in 2026.
Officials at the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) have announced a $37 million wildlife crossing corridor that will be constructed along Interstate 5 just north of the California border. Approximately 20,000 vehicles travel this segment of I-5 daily. As vehicle activity has increased over the past 5 years, wildlife–vehicle collisions have escalated significantly. The wrecks have included deer, elk, bears, and cougars.
The planned structure will be a large wildlife overpass exceeding 200 feet in width and approximately 800 feet in length. The bridge will feature a naturalized, grassy, and forested surface designed to mirror the surrounding terrain to encourage animals to use the crossing rather than attempt to cross the highway. The overpass will connect to several miles of wildlife fencing, which will be installed to guide animals toward the bridge and away from traffic lanes. Vehicles will travel beneath the structure. The project is currently in the design phase and solicitations are not expected to be released until early 2027.
A $31 million wildlife safety and transportation project to construct multiple roadway crossings will be led by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The crossings will be built and strategically located to protect critically endangered red wolves and other wildlife that reside or roam the area along US-64. The project will respond to long-standing safety concerns for drivers and wildlife along one of the state’s busiest corridors.
The first phase of work will improve a 2.5-mile segment of US-64 in Dare County, located within a national alligator wildlife refuge area which is a major hotspot for wildlife-vehicle collisions. Plans call for the construction of 11 wildlife underpasses paired with funnel fencing designed to guide animals safely beneath the roadway. In addition to improving safety and protecting wildlife, the underpasses will also help to manage stormwater flow so that the transportation corridor is protected. The project is currently in environmental review and design and construction solicitations expected in 2026.
A $49.3 million wildlife connectivity project will soon launch in central New Mexico. Federal funding will support the effort located at Pueblo of Santa Ana, on the Tamaya Indian Reservation. The objective is to reconnect critical ranges between the Sandia and Jemez Mountains and reduce collisions across a busy corridor.
The project site will span roughly 36 miles of roadway, along US-550 and I-25. The recommended infrastructure includes a coordinated system of wildlife crossings and exclusion fencing, with four overpasses, two culvert underpasses, and approximately seven miles of fencing. Another overpass and bridge underpass will be constructed along with wildlife fencing along I-25. Design will incorporate traffic noise-reducing barriers and habitat restoration elements.
Wildlife species near this busy roadway include elk, mule deer, pronghorn, black bears, and mountain lions. Once delivered, the crossings will restore wildlife connectivity while improving safety for both motorists and wildlife. The project is currently in engineering design and environmental permitting phase, and contracting solicitations will be released later in 2026.
Along the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) in Becket, Massachusetts, a $42 million wildlife and transportation infrastructure project is being planned. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has already launched the design phase which will upgrade the current crossing at the Appalachian Trail. The project’s objective is to improve safety and habitat connectivity while improving the long-term resilience of the critical interstate transportation corridor in the Berkshire area.
Planned upgrades for this project include reconstructing and enhancing the current bridge structure to support safe passage over the highway. Additional work will include vegetated crossing elements, fencing to guide various wildlife toward the structure, stormwater management features, and other safety improvements which will be designed to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions. Delivery will occur over multiple stages. Currently in the very early planning and design stage, construction is slated for 2027.
Officials at the Wyoming Department of Transportation have announced plans to construct a crosswalk for wildlife and motorists along a major highway in the Dubois area. The project will be designed to support long-standing big game migration routes near a corridor that has experienced a high number of wildlife-vehicle collisions. The proposed construction scope includes a system of grade-separated crossings. The work will include the construction of three new wildlife underpasses and one overpass that spans the highway. The structures will be supported by extensive wildlife exclusion fencing to guide animals toward safe crossing points and limit at-grade movements across the roadway. Additional work is expected to include fencing tie-ins, access controls such as cattle guards at intersecting roads or driveways, and related grading and drainage improvements to ensure long-term functionality of the crossings. The total cost of the project is estimated at approximately $29 million, and construction is anticipated to start in 2027.
Looking toward 2026 and beyond, the momentum for investments in wildlife crossings appears to be strong, but contingent on continued federal and state commitment. Many state departments of transportation are currently applying for competitive federal grants, and the number of applications and total funding requested has far exceeded available Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program dollars, signaling strong state interest in advancing these projects.
At the federal level, the current Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program funding authority is set to expire in September 2026, and several members of Congress are advocating for reauthorization or enhanced long term funding to ensure that the gains made through the pilot program do not stall. State legislatures are also exploring dedicated revenue streams and innovative funding models for wildlife crossings, expanding beyond one off budget allocations to more sustainable sources.
Trends suggest that funding support for wildlife vehicle collision mitigation and connectivity infrastructure is likely to continue. These types of initiatives are driven by demonstrated safety benefits, economic savings, and growing bipartisan support for solutions that protect both motorists and wildlife.
Photo by Canva
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