摘要: |
Wildlife crossing Arkansas highways causes a large number of crashes each year. These crashes are caused by motorist swerving to avoid hitting wildlife and by collisions between vehicles and wildlife. The average cost per insurance claim on a vehicle involved in a collision with an animal is ($3,171.00). Additional cost to Arkansas taxpayers occurs from local law enforcement being called to these crashes and maintenance crews having to remove animal carcasses from the roadway. With slight modification to the inside of culverts and the underneath of bridges it may be possible to better accommodate local wildlife, thereby reducing the amount of wildlife on Arkansas highways and in turn reducing the crash rates on Arkansas highways. The objectives of this research project include, but are not limited to a survey of surrounding states to determine their policies on wildlife shelves and other wildlife crossing tools and to establish baseline data by monitoring wildlife movements in selected areas in order to determine major crossing areas, behaviors and crossing frequencies.
ARDOT installed game cameras in or near select culverts and bridges in these areas to determine the extent that wildlife are utilizing these structures for road crossings and in the future, develop a plan to utilize wildlife shelves and other wildlife crossing tools based on data collected. |