Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

MDOT recently received a federal grant to fund a wildlife crossing analysis across the state.

In a press release Dec. 23, MDOT announced that they were awarded $467,376 to fund the analysis, which will reduce crashes with wildlife and improve motorist safety. They were also given an additional $116,844 as a state match.

MDOT and the MDNR announced the grant submission in September, which was aimed at “identifying the most problematic wildlife crossings posing a risk for motorist safety on state trunklines.”

A total of $135 million were awarded to 16 states in the 2024-2025 fiscal year as part of the USDOT’s Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program. USDOT awarded 17 states a total of $110 million in 2023, and a total of 19 wildlife crossings. $24.4 million was given to Wyoming DOT to create crossings supporting the migratory patterns of multiple species, including mule deer and pronghorn.

There’s an average of 55,000 vehicle crashes involving deer in Michigan, ranking it as the 4th highest in the nation for such crashes and costing $130 million in damages. There are also reports of crashes involving moose, elk, bears and wild turkeys, the press release said.

“While the number of crashes with other large species is not as high, the risk and damage are detrimental and increase the risk for some species of greatest concern,” according to the press release.

The grant application also named Blanding’s turtles, eastern massasauga rattlesnakes and pine martens as “at risk species.”

“We’re pleased the state has secured funding to undertake this innovative work in Michigan,” Steve Chadwick, senior Great Lakes wetland advisor for the MDNR, said. “This grant has the potential to benefit at-risk species by helping them reach critical habitat, and to protect more common species as we seek to make roads safer for Michigan drivers.”

MDOT regions will submit data regarding wildlife crashes to a consultant team to begin the official analysis. The hotspot analysis will identify the top 20 locations across the state.

“We’re going to look at locations identified by the analysis and first determine if there is existing infrastructure in place that can be retrofitted to accommodate wildlife passage,” MDOT Bay Region Resource Specialist Amanda Novak said. “If there is an existing bridge or culvert that can include space for wildlife, mitigation measures similar to those in other states can be added and can help us increase the number of wildlife crossings without a huge financial investment. Ultimately, we stand to gain by also incorporating what we learn into future design standards, so we’re active in our wildlife mitigation efforts, starting in the design phase of a road project.”

MDOT plans to issue a request for proposals this spring, beginning the process of hiring the team that will complete the final compilation of the data.

For more information, visit the link below.

(photo credit: Jennifer Moore)