Why?
- U.S.-26 from mileposts 48-73 has been identified as a priority in the state to address Wildlife Vehicle Collisions.
- From 2015-2019, Wildlife Vehicles Collisions accounted for 74% of all vehicle crashes in this area.
- The annual estimated cost of these crashes is $791,400.
Partners
The Nature Conservancy of Wyoming
National Park Service
Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes
U.S. Forest Service – Bureau of Land Management
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
Wyoming Department of Transportation
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Knobloch Family Foundation
Water for Wildlife Foundation
Wyoming Governor’s Big Game License Coalition
Eco-resolutions
The WYldlife Fund
Muley Fanatics Foundation (10 Country Chapter)
How?
- The project area is split into 8 segments, each with their own recommended strategies including:
- Enhance and use existing bridges/culverts
- Construct new wildlife crossings – underpasses and overpasses
- Improve right-of-way fencing
- Address and improve vegetation adjacent to the highway to improve driver’s sight distances and to eliminate attractants along the roadway
- Utilize improved lighting, seasonal speed limits, and perhaps wildlife detection systems where appropriate
- The highest priority is the construction of a comprehensive system of 3 underpasses and 1 overpass (known as Segment 6).
- In addition to the under and overpasses, this system includes wildlife guide fencing and maintaining/improving existing crossing structures.
- A high level benefit-cost analysis demonstrates the cost of this comprehensive system would be realized within 27-29 years; the lifespan of these structures in at least 75 years.
- Recommended mitigations in the other segments will also be addressed as opportunity and funding presents itself.
Budget
- For Segment 6, the top priority, the estimated cost for completion is $7,000,000.
- Cost estimates for the other recommended mitigations in the other segments are variable and will be determined as opportunity arises to implement them.
