Identification of Wildlife-Vehicle Conflict Hotspots in Utah

US Transportation Collection2019PDFTech ReportCramer, PatriciaVasquez, EmanuelJones, AllisonWildlife Connectivity InstituteUtah. Department of Transportation. Research and Innovation DivisionUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway AdministrationUtah. Dept. of Transportation. Research DivisionUtahAnimal vehicle crashesGeographic information systemsHigh risk locationsRecommendationsDeerTraffic safetyTransportation planningCrashesUngulatesWildlife AnimalsDomestic animalsCarcassesWildlife-vehicle collisionsWildlife-vehicle conflictElkMoosePronghornAntelopeBighornSheepCowCattlePriority hotspotsUT-19.2719-8199Final Sept. 2018 to Dec. 2019The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) work together to help reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve the permeability of roads for wildlife. These efforts work largely at the UDOT and UDWR regional levels, yet there is a need to identify locations for top state-wide efforts. This research project began to address top locations for wildlife-vehicle conflict, based on areas of the greatest number of reported wildlife-related crashes, all animal crashes, and domestic animal crashes, carcasses reported along roads, and available data on wildlife movements and habitats near and across Utah roads. From 2008 - 2017, each year there were on average 3,110 crashes reported with animals, 2,756 of these with wild animals, at a societal cost of over $138 million annually. The researchers conducted statewide Geographic Information Systems (GIS) hotspot analyses with Getis-Ord Gi*, of all animals, wildlife, and domestic animal-related crash data, and carcass data to delineate and rank top wildlife-vehicle conflict hotspot areas across Utah and within UDOT Regions. The crash modeling identified the top 25 WVC hotspots for past crashes based on crashes/mile/year with: all animals, wildlife, and domestic animals on highways and local roads. The top five locations for animal and wildlife-vehicle crashes on highways were: 1. US 191 North and South of Monticello; 2. US 89/North State St. in Lindon; 3. US 40 from Heber north to Jordanelle Reservoir; 4. US 189 Deer Creek State Park; and 5. SR 224 Kimball Junction-SR 248 Park City. Recommendations were included in the report detailing past and potential future wildlife mitigation solutions for these five and 20 other top hotspots.113