wildlife crossings

Several new bridges and tunnels were built in the last few years to prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions. Now, state lawmakers are looking to build on the momentum — and qualify for remaining federal grant dollars.

Between 1 million and 2 million collisions with large species result in thousands of human injuries each year, hundreds of fatalities, and up to $8 billion in costs to Americans.

Shorter days mean more nighttime driving — and across the Mountain West, that’s leading to a surge in collisions with wildlife.

A huge wildlife crossing project broke ground recently between Kemmerer and Evanston. The celebration had undertones of concern for federal funding for future efforts.

Federal funding freezes have stalled a proposed wildlife crossing project in Fremont County. The agencies involved are still trying to make it happen.

The glimmer of hope for the state transportation agency follows a deadly month for bears in northwest Wyoming.

A new study shows that wildlife migration routes in the West will likely shift because of climate change. That’s why researchers worked with a tribe in the Mountain West to find out how to tackle the problem.

State agencies, nonprofits and the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes are teaming up to try and get $17 million in federal funding for wildlife crossings on Highway 26/287 east of Dubois. The hope is to reduce collisions between vehicles and wildlife along an especially dangerous stretch from milepost 58 through 67.

In the first round of the wildlife crossing pilot program, less than one out of every three of the projects proposed by states and Tribes received funding.

A proposal for a wildlife overpass a few years ago in eastern Idaho has politicized the issue for that region.