2023 Wildlife Crossings Program
FHWA has awarded $110M in Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program (WCPP) grants for 19 wildlife crossing projects in 17 states, including four Indian tribes.
WCPP is a competitive grant program that reduces wildlife vehicle collisions (WVCs) while improving habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species. WCPP is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
In creating WCPP, Congress discovered there are a reported 1,000,000+ WVCs occuring annually, presenting a constant danger to human safety and wildlife survival, representing a cost of over $8B per year, and resulting in approximately tens of thousands of serious injuries and hundreds of fatalities on U.S. roadways.
Notable California Award
Among the selected winners is California's Gaviota Pass Wildlife Connectivity & Vehicle Collision Reduction Project in Goleta, awarded $8M to reduce wildlife vehicle collisions and connect animal habitats between protected state park lands on both sides of US 101.
Project improvements include increasing the size of an existing culvert and installing 2.5 miles of fencing, allowing wildlife to safely cross the highway on their way to the adjacent Los Padres National Forest.
Read the full announcement or access the complete list of winners
Wildlife Vehicle Collisions
WVCs are a major issue in many states, especially for large rural populations.
An estimated 1 to 2 million crashes occur between motor vehicles and large animals every year in the U.S., causing ~200 human deaths, 26000 injuries, and $8B in property damage.
The cost to wildlife is significant. With wildlife corridors blocked or impeded by roads and highways, economically important species such as elk and mule deer are cut off from seasonal migration routes, threatening population stability.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is the largest long-term investment in our infrastructure and economy in our Nation’s history.
BIL provides over $550B in new federal investment across FY 2022 – 2026 for transportation infrastructure, including in roads, bridges, as well as mass transit, water infrastructure, and broadband.
-0.png)
