Funding for additional wildlife crossings uncertain
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Wildlife‑vehicle collisions pose a serious safety problem in and around national parks and park advocates are urging Congress to invest in more wildlife crossings and other measures to improve safety for visitors and wildlife alike.
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.
Bart Melton, senior director of wildlife for the National Parks Conservation Association, said there are an average of 7,600 big game collisions each year in Wyoming.
"Those can be extremely dangerous," Melton pointed out. "Hitting a moose, or an elk, or even a pronghorn antelope in your car is really bad for motorists and not great for the wildlife either."
Starting from the core of Yellowstone National Park, species like pronghorn, elk and mule deer move in all directions during migration season. Animals cross roads south of Grand Teton and other dangerous choke points where animals and people intersect. Wildlife crossings, which can be underpasses or overpasses, have reduced elk- and deer-related vehicle collisions by up to 97 percent.
Melton’s group and other advocates are asking lawmakers to establish a permanent $200 million annual fund for wildlife crossings and make other park-related investments. The National Park Service maintains more than 5,600 miles of roads across the nation, including nearly 1,500, many tunnels and parking areas in dire need of maintenance or even replacement.
"We’re asking Congress not only to commit to protect wildlife and motorists but also to think about park infrastructure," Melton emphasized. "Helping make sure that Americans have access to our favorite places in our National Parks."
According to a 2023 national poll, 87 percent of Americans support restoring or preserving wildlife habitat connectivity and improving migration corridors. Melton added because Wyomingites care deeply about maintaining big game species for future generations, he hopes the state’s congressional delegation will support reauthorizing the transportation portion of the 2021 bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
