DOT Wildlife Crossing Projects Now Funded
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced awards for wildlife crossing projects. These funds will help reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions to protect both motorists and biodiversity.
Matthew Gallagher
2024-01-07
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced awards for wildlife crossing projects. A total of $110 million in grants will go to 19 projects in 17 states across four Tribal jurisdictions. These funds will help reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions to protect both motorists and biodiversity.
In early 2021, ASLA sent a report to the Biden-Harris administration offering recommendations to enhance the safety, sustainability, and multi-functionality of transportation systems. This wildlife crossing program was one of the key recommendations highlighted in the report. The funds for this program are now made available through the landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed in late 2021.
Each year, there are more than one million wildlife-vehicle collisions nationwide. These accidents annually cost the public $10 billion in damages. This $110 million program is therefore a sound public investment. Landscape architects are educated and trained to design wildlife crossings that will maximize these funds for protecting public health, safety, and welfare.
To learn more about the program and to see the pilot projects that have been selected, visit the FHWA website. Landscape architects should consider reaching out to the awardees to offer technical assistance and project leadership to implement the funds.
To apply for similar grant awards, ASLA members now have exclusive access to a tailored list of federal funding opportunities.
Federal grant applications are available for projects in the following areas:- Climate change
- Biodiversity
- Water resource management
- Parks and recreation
- Active transportation
- Environmental justice, and more.
For additional questions, please contact Government Affairs.