Reducing Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions

Describe need for animal road crossings

Provide information about ‘hot spots’ and funding opportunities

Kathie Jermstad Biologist/Geneticist Forest Service- Retired

January 2018

Landscape and Genetic Connectivity Food and water Migrate and disperse to avoid insular populations that lead to inbreeding

Motorist Safety Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) Fed Highway Admin estimates > $8.4 billion/yr (Pub #FHWA-HRT-08-034) Severity is species-specific Animal and vehicle velocity Majority of WVCs occur at night (and in Autumn) How a deer sees (video)

Why Animal Road Crossings ?

2007 the Western Governors’ Association (WGA) unanimously approved

policy resolution 07-01, “Protecting Wildlife Migration Corridors and Crucial Wildlife Habitat in the West”

2007 State Transportation and Fish and Wildlife Agencies State Wildlife Action Plan and Transportation Companion Plan

2008 FHWA Report to Congress

2009 MOU (WGA, DOI, DOE and DOA)

2015 California Essential Habitat Connectivity Project (CDFW) 2017 Wildlife Crossing Mitigation Credit Program (Caltrans, CDFW)

Federal and State Agendas and Policies

SR 30 near Kemmemer, WY

SR 93 near Elko, NV

SR 77 north of Tucson, AZ

Near Logan, UT

SR 9 north of Silverthorne, CO Boulder City, NV Near Bend, OR

California Existing or Planned

SR 89 north of Truckee

SR 193 near Newcastle

I-80 east of Overland Trail in Truckee

Existing Box Culvert on Highway 50 Highway 101 north of Malibu, CA

Time lapse video of wildlife at box culvert

Frasier Schilling Road Ecology Center UC Davis, CA

Caltrans Carcass Removal Data (1989 – 2016)

PM 19.61

PM 20.31

Smith Flat Rd (wildlife friendly - no ramps) Point View Drive (busy, natural substrate on west)

< Photo pending: Need to look for hoof prints>

Smith Flat-Hwy 50 Underpass

PM 18.50

Schnell School Rd (busy, ramps, all cement)

PM 19.11

Mosquito Rd (no ramps, long bridge, natural substrate)

Mosquito Road-Hwy 50 Bridge

PM 18.00

Locust Ave (no ramps, natural substrate) Clay St (no ramps, all cement)

Bedford Ave (at grade) Spring St (at grade)

Proprietors and the public see deer under the bridges

Locust Ave – Hwy 50 Bridge (no ramps)

Clay Street – Hwy 50 Bridge (no ramps)

PM 15.32

PM 17.70 PM 16.58

MACE CT KOBY’S

Big 5

Big 5

Possible Mitigation Strategies: Install Box Culvert

Install Land bridge

Retrofit Existing Hangtown Creek Culvert

Western Placerville Interchange Project, Phase 2

Renovate or retrofit culverts so that wildlife can use them

Enlarge Place shelves in existing culverts

Renovate bridges adding space for wildlife to use (natural substrate)

Clay Street Realignment

Be mindful of rip rap placement on abutments (deer leg-breaker)

Protect bridges that are already working

Smith Flat Rd Bridge

Mosquito Rd Bridge

Locust Ave Bridge

Clay St Bridge

Viet Nam Veterans Bridge

What to do? Adjust Planning Strategy

Vietnam Veterans Bridge – PM 15.47

15.32

15.65

15.32 15.65

Request Caltrans to record all carcass removal

Install deer caution signs between Placerville Dr and Forni Rd

Reduce speed limit between Placerville Dr and Forni Rd

What else?

EDC General Plan - Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRMP)

D. Habitat Acquisition … Priority will also be given to parcels that would preserve natural wildlife movement corridors such as crossing under major roadways. E. Habitat Management …Examples of the many types of restoration or management actions that could be undertaken to improve current habitat conditions include: removal of non native plant species, planting native species, repair and rehabilitation of severely grazed riparian and upland habitats, removal of culverts and other structures that impede movement by native fishes, construction of roadway under and overcrossing that would facilitate movement by terrestrial wildlife…

EDC Wildlife Movement and Corridor Report (Sierra Ecosystem Associates - 2010)

CEQA Biological Resource section addresses project’s impact on wildlife movement of native species

Funding/partnering Resources

Environment Enhancement and Mitigation Program (EEMP) - Calif NRA

State Wildlife Grant Program - CDFW

Highway Safety Improvement Program - FWHA

Wildlife Crossing Mitigation Credit System - Caltrans and CDFW

Green Highways Partnership - FHWA

Informational Resources

California Essential Habitat Connectivity Project – Caltrans and CDFW

EDC General Plan, INRMP

EDC Wildlife Movement and Connectivity Report

FHWA Wildlife Vehicle Collision Report

Advances in Wildlife Crossing Technology – FHWA

Animal Road Crossings (ARC)

UC Davis Department of Road Ecology

Wildlife Crossing Construction Handbook – FHWA

International Conference on Ecology and Transportation

End Slide