WTI

Blaine County State Highway 75 Wildlife Data Collection & Mitigation Research

Primary Investigator Contact Information

External Project Contact(s)

Report(s)

1. Wildlife Data Collection and Potential Highway Mitigation along State Highway 75, Blaine County, Idaho
   1. Marcel P. Huijser, Angela V. Kociolek, Lauren Oechsli, Doug E. Galarus
   2. 4W1403_Final_Mitigation_Report.pdf
2. Wildlife-Vehicle Collision and Crossing Mitigation Measures: A Literature Review for Blaine County, Idaho
   1. Marcel P. Huijser, Angela V. Kociolek
   2. 4W1403_Final_Lit_Review.pdf

Project Objective

To increase public safety, reduce wildlife mortality, and reduce economic losses due to property damage from animal-vehicle collisions along a 26-mile section of State Highway 75, between Timmerman Junction (Jct. with Hwy 20) and the Trail Creek Bridge in Ketchum, Idaho.

Project Abstract

In a growing number of states, wildlife-vehicle collisions are one of the top safety issues of concern to the public and media. Many roads and highways throughout North America have installed standard wildlife warning signs and oversized warning signs with warning flags and flashing beacons. Such warning signs appear to have only limited effect because drivers habituate to them. In addition, road configurations may not allow for wide spread use of wildlife fencing and the open and flat topography of some roads allow for relatively few natural opportunities for wildlife underpasses or overpasses. One road that meets these criteria is a 26-mile section of State Highway 75 in Blaine County Idaho. Animal detection systems are a relatively new mitigation measure that is location and time specific. When a large animal such as a deer, elk or moose is detected, signs are activated to warn drivers that animals may be on or near the road at that time. The driver can then respond to the warning signals by reducing speed, increasing alertness or both, thereby resulting in fewer and less severe collisions with large animals. Published data on the effectiveness of animal detection systems in reducing collisions with large animals is encouraging; seven different animal detection system locations in Switzerland have experienced an 82% reduction in wildlife-collisions, on average. However, animal detection systems are still regarded as largely experimental, and are not yet considered a well-established measure to reduce animal-vehicle collisions. WTI will provide a detailed review and summary of the existing road-kill data for Blaine County, Idaho, including an assessment on whether they qualify as monitoring data or incidental observations and whether the data can be used to identify high frequency collision road sections and evaluate the effectiveness of a future animal detection system. WTI will provide advice on the future collection of animal-vehicle collision and animal carcass data to further aid the identification of road sections that may require mitigation measures, including, animal detection systems. The data will also help evaluate how effective potential mitigation measures are in reducing the number of animal-vehicle collisions, especially with mule deer and elk.

Task Descriptions

1. Collect & organize additional road kill & wildlife crossing data
   1. The public will be asked to participate in data collection and to report sightings of large road-killed animals and successful animal crossings through a website. If the means of collecting data are determined to be incidental, WTI will provide written instructions and a training session on how to collect animal-vehicle collision data and animal carcass data for Idaho Highway Patrol and Idaho Transportation Department personnel.
2. Re-analyze existing road kill data
   1. In order to identify a road section that may be a candidate for mitigation measures including animal detection systems, the quality of the current road kill data will be reviewed.
3. Literature Review
   1. WTI will conduct an extensive literature review on animal detection system technologies focusing on systems installed elsewhere that have proven to be reliable, effective, or both. In addition, WTI will investigate mitigation measures that could be an alternative to animal detection systems.
4. Final Report
   1. Write a final report summarizing the tasks performed.

Milestones, Dates, Schedule

Student Involvement

False

Relationship to Other Research Projects

True

Technology Transfer Activities

True

Transportation Research Board Keywords

Wildlife, animal-vehicle, wildlife crossings

Partners

Blaine County, Idaho