A funding request has been submitted to study wildlife patterns with the goal of preventing animal vs. vehicle crashes in Michigan.
The request was submitted by the Michigan Department of Transportation in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The grant funding would help them identify key wildlife crossings that pose risks to drivers.
The grant requests money from the United State Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP). In 2023, the USDOT awarded $110 million in funding for 17 states and 19 total wildlife crossings.
According to MDOT, Michigan typically ranks fourth-highest in the nation for deer vs. vehicle crashes. There are an estimated average of 55,000 deer vs vehicle crashes per year that cost around $130 million in damages.
“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 the data they have and new data collected with other state departments and a consultant team that collects data and develops wildlife hotspot analysis. The analysis will identify the top 20 locations across Michigan responsible for wildlife vehicle crashes.
“Creating a wildlife mitigation plan to help protect drivers and animals has been a personal goal since before I came to MDOT,” said MDOT Bay Region Resource Specialist Amanda Novak. “I know we can improve safety and protect wildlife at the same time, and ultimately we can do this by implementing animal crossings at existing locations.”
MDOT intends to retrofit existing structures, like culverts or bridges, to help wildlife looking for a safe path to cross the road.
MDOT expects to learn more about the grant proposal by early spring. The department is requesting $467,376 of federal WCPP funds and will match with $116,844 of state funding.
“Thanks to assistance from MDNR, and advice from other DOTs with successful wildlife crossings, I feel confident we submitted a strong proposal,” Novak said. “If we’re not successful this round, we will regroup, strengthen our application and submit again for round two.”