N.C. WILDLIFE CROSSINGS
Wildlife crashes cost over $10 billion and kill over 200 people in the U.S. every year. Wildlife crossings are a cost-effective solution that helps animals cross roads safely and protects drivers from collisions. Allocating $10 million in this year’s state budget for wildlife crossings will help NC fund shovel-ready projects and leverage federal grant opportunities, making roads safer for wildlife and people.
- NC is currently the 16th highest-risk state for wildlife-vehicle collisions in the US.
- 7% of vehicle crashes in NC involve animal strikes.
- Every year, an average of 3.6 of those crashes are fatal for the driver.
- As a result, State Farm Insurance ranks NC as a ”High-Risk“ state for wildlife-vehicle collisions, costing a total of $400-$500 million per year.
- It is estimated that almost 60.000 animals were killed on North Carolina roads from 2020-2022.
- 90% of those killed were deer, but we know that many other mammals, reptiles, and amphibians are suffering similar fates on our roadways and their numbers are not always tracked. For deer alone, numbers can be 8.5 times higher than what is reported in police records.
Wildlife crossings can take various forms based on the location, from simple fencing around underpasses and culverts to overpasses spanning the roadway. Properly sited wildlife crossings pay for themselves in costs saved for emergency and medical assistance, property damage, and value of animals lost.
Data collected on wildlife movement can help determine priority sites for crossings. In 2023, NCDOT submitted 6 project proposals for 5 locations (shown above) to the federal Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program. These are some of the locations that urgently need funding to create or improve wildlife crossings.
Over 20 federal grants, including the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, are available right now for wildlife crossings. Most grants require a funding match, usually around 20%. State funds targeted for wildlife crossings could help NC be more competitive in the next round applications by providing these required matching funds. The time to act is now, as the 2024 grant cycle is expected to open any day.