MDOT submits funding request to study wildlife crossing hotspots

SAGINAW - "Drive safe and watch for deer." Likely the most common Midwest goodbye, but a new effort by the Michigan Department of Transportation could make a dent in the number of vehicle/wildlife crashes across the state.

MDOT, working in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, recently submitted their first grant proposal to secure funding that will identify key wildlife crossings posing a risk for motorist safety. The grant application aims to secure funding from the United State Department of Transportation's Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program.

In 2023, the USDOT awarded $110 million in funding for 17 states and 19 total wildlife crossings. Awards included $24.4 million for Wyoming DOT to complete several crossings supporting migratory patterns for mule deer, pronghorn and other species. MDOT is now officially throwing their hat into the funding ring, with an end goal to create mitigation plans to drastically reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions, while protecting at-risk species.

MDOT has spent the last four years tracking the number of deer found dead along trunklines, while also relying on UD-10 forms completed by law enforcement to indicate additional locations where WVCs are repetitive. Michigan typically ranks fourth highest in the nation for deer/vehicle crashes, with an average of 55,000 deer/vehicle crashes per year, resulting in $130 million in damages.

Michigan also reports crashes with moose, elk, bear, and wild turkeys, and while the number of crashes with other large species is not as high, the risk and damage are detrimental when compared to car/deer collisions.

Additional at-risk species can be protected by wildlife crossings as well, including Blanding's turtles, eastern massasauga rattlesnakes, and pine marten.

"This project is a key step in ensuring wildlife have safe passages to reach critical habitats they need to prosper," said Dr. Jared Duquette, human-wildlife interaction specialist with MDNR, and co-author of MDOT's grant application. "Even a small number of mortalities can severely hinder populations of at-risk species."

If awarded, MDOT will share their current data, along with that collected by MDNR and other state departments, with a consultant team tasked with collecting additional WVC data and developing a wildlife hotspot analysis. The analysis will identify the top 20 locations statewide responsible for repetitive WVCs, allowing MDOT to work toward the ultimate goal of providing WVC mitigation and protecting all Michiganders, including the wildlife variety.