This project is a three year team effort with the objectives to provide guidance, in the form of clearly written guidelines for the selection, configuration, and location of wildlife crossing structures, and the monitoring and evaluation of crossing effectiveness as well as maintenance of those structures. Anticipated research results will include the following:

• A thorough analysis of past, present, and in-progress research that will provide the practitioner with a synthetic state-of-the-art understanding of the usefulness and applicability of current research as related to the selection, configuration, and location of wildlife crossing structures;
• A synthetic report of current domestic and international practices in the use of wildlife crossings that evaluates practices along with recommendations for future changes in practice;
• A set of guidelines to lead the practitioner in the selection, configuration, and location of wildlife crossing structures, as well as guidelines for evaluating, monitoring and maintaining these structures;
• A decision tool will be created with consensus from professionals throughout the U.S. which will assist planners, engineers, biologists, and other professionals on how to consider wildlife and ecosystems when planning and implementing transportation programs and projects. This tool will be available in a CD-ROM format and may also be Web-based.

Key Team Members include: PI: John Bissonette, Ph.D, Utah State University, Patricia Cramer, Ph.D., Utah State University; Keith Knapp, Ph.D., P.E., University of Wisconsin; Bhagwant Persaud, Ph.D., M. Eng, Transportation Consultant, Ontario; Craig Lyon, M.S.Sc., P.Eng., Ryerson University; Ingrid Brakop, Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, and Trevor Kinley M.E.Des, R.P.Bio, and Nancy Newhouse, M.E.Des, R.P. Bio, Sylvan Consulting, British Columbia, and Sandy Jacobson, MS, USDA Forest Service, Redwood Sciences Lab, California, and Anthony Clevenger, PhD, Western Transportation Institute, Montana State University.

The Transportation Research Board's National Cooperative Highway Research Program Project Number 25-27 FY04

What is the National Cooperative Highways Research Program?