Research Idea Details

Quiet Wildlife Underpasses

  • Focus Area: Wildlife & Ecosystems
  • Status: Archived
  • Subcommittee: Natural Resources
  • Cost: Unknown
  • Timeframe: Unknown

Research Idea Scope

Many wildlife underpasses are noisy and frighten animals away. Research needs to be done to find a way to make thes structures (bridges, box culvers, steel arch culverts, conspan arches, etc.) more quiet so animals won’t bolt every time a truck or even a car drives over.

Urgency and Payoff

Benefit would be to wildlife connectivity and safety. Animals need to cross roads (highways and freeways) to access their natural ranges. As animals are frightened to pass under a highway or freeway, they will try to find ways to cross over the roadway, thus constituting a safety hazard to motorists.

Suggested By:
Paul West, Utah Department of Transportation
[email protected]
Submitted:
03/30/2011