On the latest episode of The Stream by AASHTO podcast, Caleb Knerr and Tayler MacDonald – both senior environmental specialists with the Missouri Department of Transportation – discuss how their agency is using tracking technology to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) on state roadways.
[Above image by AASHTO]
The Stream by AASHTO podcast is part of the AASHTO Environmental Management technical service program operated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It explores a wide array of environmental topics that affect state DOTs and the infrastructure programs they oversee.
During this podcast episode, Knerr and MacDonald discussed MoDOT’s ongoing use of technology to track wildlife sightings, including the Roadkill Observation and Data System or “ROaDS” mobile phone application.
That app allows motorists to identify and place wildlife presence along highways. They also shared findings from a 2021 MoDOT pilot program designed by the agency to identify WVC hotspots across the state and how to reduce them.
[Editor’s note: In 2022, the Utah Department of Transportation – in partnership with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources – introduced a similar free mobile app, “The Roadkill Reporter,” to make it easier for motorists to report the location and description of any dead animals on or near roads for removal.]
According to a recent MoDOT study, from 2019 to 2023, Missouri suffered 17,609 WVCs with 8 percent to 10 percent of them resulting in an injury or fatality. The state also ranked 17th in the nation for WVCs in both 2024 and 2025, according to the agency’s research, with the cost of those WVCs totaling $230 million.
To listen to the entire podcast episode, click here.
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