Nevada DOT-Led Study Offers Wildlife Crossing Insights

A research document just released by an international pool-funded study led by the Nevada Department of Transportation provides an “authoritative review” of the most effective measures to reduce animal-vehicle collisions, improve motorist safety, and build safer wildlife crossings.

[Above image by the Nevada DOT]
With as many as two million collisions with large mammals in the United States leading to approximately 200 human deaths every year, the review compiled, evaluated, and synthesized studies, scientific reports, journal articles, technical papers, and other publications from within the United States and beyond to determine the effectiveness of 30 different mitigation measures.

Ultimately, the report provides best management practices to reduce animal-vehicle collisions, increase habitat connectivity, and implement cost-effective solutions. Key findings include:

The most proven effective measures to reduce animal-vehicle collisions by over 85 percent while providing habitat connectivity remain wildlife fences in combination with wildlife overpasses and/or underpasses. Researchers now know that these measures must cover at least several miles to reduce collisions significantly with large mammal species.
Traditional warning signs, educational campaigns, reducing posted nighttime speed limits, and other measures are in general less than 50 percent effective. Some mitigation measures are at least 50 percent or greater effective in reducing animal-vehicle collisions, including roadside animal detection systems, nighttime lighting, and reducing the size of the population of wildlife species involved. However, none of those reduces a road’s “barrier effect” for wildlife; some even increase the barrier effect.
No detailed study examines the ability to reduce animal-vehicle collisions with vehicle-based detection technology in highway situations – especially where connected and autonomous vehicles or CAVs are concerned. While there are likely benefits of this technology for reducing collisions with large mammal species, the sensors typically do not detect smaller species. Furthermore, this technology does not reduce the barrier effect of the road and traffic for wildlife.

Nova Simpson, a biological supervisor and large mammal mitigation specialist with Nevada DOT, helped manage the study. Simpson believes it will help state and federal transportation, land management, and wildlife agencies optimize efforts to reduce animal-vehicle collisions.

“This pooled fund study provides a very unique opportunity to synthesize current knowledge from the U.S., Canada, and internationally,” noted Simpson in a statement. “It will improve the cost-benefit analyses of mitigation measures, field test improved designs and technologies; and coordinate and provide outreach to transportation, land management, and wildlife agencies and their stakeholders. Ultimately, these efforts will help in the reduction of wildlife-vehicle collisions across the United States.”
Nevada DOT has already installed many roadway improvements to reduce potentially dangerous animal-vehicle collisions statewide. For example, in February, the agency installed four-foot high livestock fencing along stretches of U.S. 50 between State Route 341 and Chaves Road in Dayton, NV, to reduce horse-vehicle collisions.

Nevada DOT also worked with the Nevada Department of Wildlife to install nine safety crossings on Interstate 80 between Wendover and Wells and U.S. 93 north of Wells in the northeastern portion of the state four years ago.

That project – which garnered a 2019 Environmental Excellence Award from the Federal Highway Administration – covered wildlife overpasses with native soil and vegetation to replicate the natural environment, with roughly 60 miles of eight-foot-high fencing installed along both sections of the roadways redirecting and encouraging deer, mules, and other animals to use the crossing points.

The agency added that it has also installed 400 miles of tortoise fencing and 19 tortoise underpass/culvert crossings on the U.S. 95 and U.S. 93 in southern Nevada to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and tortoise road mortality.

Landscaping Key Part of RIDOT Airport Connector Project

A $12.9 million Airport Connector resurfacing project in Warwick, RI, is going to include a “massive” landscaping effort that will provide more than 400 plants and trees in both the median and the shoulder of the new roadway.

[Above photo by RIDOT]

Governor Dan McKee (D) and Rhode Island Department of Transportation Director Peter Alviti, Jr., hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the new project for a variety of federal, state, and local officials on July 18.

The governor noted in a statement that RIDOT is blending the Airport Connector’s landscaping “seamlessly” with similar plantings around Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport to create a more “visually appealing” gateway for the state.

“For thousands of visitors to Rhode Island, the Airport Connector is Rhode Island’s welcome mat,” Governor McKee said. “These improvements will make vital safety improvements while providing a great first impression of our great state.”

The new road surface will give the 20,000 vehicles a safer riding surface when traveling the one-mile Airport Connector and three miles of Route 1 and Route 1A (known as the “Post Road”) from Coronado Road to Warwick Avenue.

In addition to new pavement, the project design eliminates hazardous drop-offs and includes new high-visibility pavement markers while improving pedestrian access conditions along Post Road with new sidewalks and pedestrian ramps.

On the I-95 southbound ramp, the project – scheduled for completion in June 2023 – will replace the median guardrail and install a grass swale, RIDOT said.

“Rhode Islanders have seen the transformation in our roads and bridges, and thanks to the new [$1.2 trillion] Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act, we will be kicking our paving program into high gear and providing the type of safe, smooth roadways Rhode Islanders and all visitors to Rhode Island expect and deserve,” noted RIDOT Director Alviti.

He added that this project is part of the $92 million RIDOT plans to spend on paving projects in 2022 as well as part of the $492 million slated for statewide paving work over the next five years.

The incorporation of landscaping efforts as part of this RIDOT roadway project is something other state departments of transportation are mimicking in other parts of the country.

For example, in November 2021, the Ohio Department of Transportation made final changes to its Opportunity Corridor Boulevard Project in Cleveland; an undertaking specifically designed to revitalize the neighborhood between I-490 and University Circle once known as the “Forgotten Triangle” due to the lack of economic activity.

The new 35-mph boulevard-type road includes a median, traffic signals, new pedestrian and bicycle paths, tree lawns, and landscaping. It also includes a collection of vehicular, pedestrian, and railroad bridges.

“Transportation is about connecting people. This isn’t just an investment in asphalt, concrete, and steel, this is an investment in people, business, and opportunity,” said Governor Mike DeWine (R) at the time.

Connecticut DOT Breaks Ground on Active Transportation Trail

The Connecticut Department of Transportation, along with other state and local officials, recently hosted a groundbreaking ceremony (seen above) for the Putnam Bridge Trail Connections between Wethersfield and Glastonbury across the Connecticut River.

[Above photo by the Connecticut DOT]

When completed in the fall of 2023, the Putnam Bridge Trail Connections project will provide non-motorized access across the Connecticut River by linking the shared used path on the Putnam Bridge to Great Meadow Road in Wethersfield and Naubuc Avenue in Glastonbury.

The project will also install sidewalks will also be installed on both sides of Naubuc Avenue, with additional connections planned for the Goodwin College trails in East Hartford.

“Finishing the current gaps to the bridge allows the public to choose an active mode of transportation and safely cross the river. When completed, residents and visitors can enjoy the businesses and recreational activities on both sides of the river,” said Connecticut DOT Commissioner Joe Giulietti in a statement.

“The Putnam Bridge brings vehicles over the Connecticut River between Wethersfield and Glastonbury, and by the end of next year, it will also be accessible to pedestrians and cyclists,” he added. “This is a great project that connects communities and helps keep pedestrians and bicyclists safe.”

[Editor’s note: Connecticut DOT’s Giulietti recently received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Public Transportation Association for his 50-plus years of service in the transportation industry. He is one of nine APTA award recipients in 2022 across various categories.]

The agency noted that construction costs for the Putnam Bridge Trail Connections project are approximately $8.2 million and are 100 percent state funded.

State departments of transportation across the country are involved in similar active transportation trail projects.

For example, the Nevada Department of Transportation recently hosted an opening ceremony for a new multi-use trail at Kershaw-Ryan State Park in Caliente, NV.

That $1.36 million project along SR-317 – which took under four months to complete – received funds from the city of Caliente with matching federal dollars from the Transportation Alternatives Fund administered by the Nevada DOT, which also designed the trail project. Work included a chip seal, restripe, and new signage on Clover St. from SR-317 to Depot Ave.

“Nevada DOT really went the extra mile, both literally and figuratively,” said Jeff Fontaine, executive director of the Lincoln County Regional Development Authority, said in a statement. “They worked really hard to make sure that this project was something the community of Lincoln County and the city could afford. They capped the cost of the project for the county and the city.”

Meanwhile, a team of Utah State University researchers recently explored how to use the state’s network of historic canal trails as an active transportation solution. That study is poised to help the Utah Department of Transportation and community leaders make decisions about building canal paths and trails.

The Utah DOT funded the university’s research project – entitled “Active Transportation Facilities in Canal Corridors” – that the American Society of Civil Engineers subsequently published in June.

By reviewing case studies of existing canal trails – such as the Murdock Canal Trail in Utah County and the Highline Trail in Cache County – and interviewing stakeholders like canal operators and local planners, the USU team found there are many potential benefits for communities who want to build canal paths and trails.

Environmental News Highlights – July 20, 2022

FTA Makes $300M in Ferry Grants Available

The Federal Transit Administration is making nearly $300 million available through three competitive grant programs to boost access to rural ferry services, bolster existing and new urban services, and lower emissions across all services by speeding the adoption of zero-emission ferry propulsion technologies.

[Above photo by NCDOT]

The agency noted in a statement that grants are available for those three programs via a single, combined notice of funding opportunity, with the overall funding level coming by way of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA, enacted in November 2021.

Those programs include:

Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program is a new grant program that seeks to ensure states provide basic essential ferry services to rural areas. For fiscal year 2022, $209 million is available.
Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program is a new program that provides grants for electric or low-emitting ferries and associated infrastructure that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using alternative fuels or onboard energy storage systems. For FY 2022, $49 million is available.
Passenger Ferry Grant Program is an established program for funding capital projects that support existing passenger ferry services, establish new ferry services, and repair and modernize ferries, terminals, and related facilities and equipment in urbanized areas. For FY 2022, $36.5 million is available; of that, $3.25 million is set aside to support low or zero-emission ferries.

Many state departments of transportation that operate ferry services are witnessing a strong rebound in passenger demand.

For example, the North Carolina Department of Transportation recently noted that its four-year-old Ocracoke Express passenger ferry nearly matched pre-pandemic ridership levels over the first two months of its 2022 season despite using a smaller vessel.

The new Ocracoke Express ferry vessel carries 129 people versus the 149-person capacity previous model used from 2019 through 2021, noted NCDOT in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities and the Southeast Conference announced plans to collaborate on a low-emission ferry project in May.

Alternative fuel-powered, low-emission and electric ferries could be a game-changer for Alaska’s Marine Highway System, the agency said, as it starts replacing aging ferry vessels in upcoming years.

Utah DOT Poised to Tap into University’s Trail Study

A team of Utah State University researchers recently explored how to use the state’s network of historic canal trails as an active transportation solution. That study is poised to help the Utah Department of Transportation and community leaders make decisions about building canal paths and trails, USU detailed in a blog post.

[Above photo by USU]

“One potential benefit of creating a canal trail formally is to formalize that use,” said Patrick Singleton, an assistant professor of transportation at USU and one of the project’s researchers.

“A lot of people are using canals informally as trails in some cases,” he said. “And by formalizing that use, there can be some protections for the canal or the property owners along the canal.”

Building bicycle/pedestrian trails alongside open canals or atop closed canals can also create a “mutual interest” between community leaders and canal operators to keep the corridor clean. In the case of covered canals, a trail can help preserve the canal easement and make it easier to repair the canal if needed.

The research found that the primary challenges to building canal trails are land ownership, maintenance, safety, liability, funding and privacy. These challenges can be overcome using long-term planning, stakeholder collaboration, iterative design and active public involvement.

The school’s researchers said they hope this study will make community leaders more aware of both the opportunity and the steps required to help trail networks succeed.

Environmental News Highlights – July 13, 2022

FEDERAL ACTION

FHWA Plans Rulemaking for Reducing GHG Emissions – AASHTO Journal

The silver lining for EPA in Supreme Court climate ruling – E&E News

USDOT Announces All 50 States, DC and Puerto Rico Now Have Alternative Fuel Corridor Designations, Which Will Help Build Out National Electric Vehicle Charging Network – FHWA (Media release)

COVID-19

Study: COVID-19 Pandemic Sparked Speeding Epidemic – AASHTO Journal

INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Best Practices: How to build resilience into electric bus plans – Mass Transit

The seas are rising. Are real estate developers Boston’s best hope for fending them off? – Boston Globe

California to provide $300 million for relocation of rail line off Del Mar Bluffs – Trains

As floods intensify, governments consider managed retreat – DW Akademie

Quitting Oil Income Is Hard, Even for States That Want Climate Action – New York Times

Exit This Way: Research informing upgrades in hurricane evacuation planning. – Talking Transportation (Podcast)

Groundbreaking held for Rail to Rail path for walkers, cyclists and rollers in Inglewood and South Los Angeles – Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Blog)

Iowa DOT Awards Funding For Volkswagen Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust Program – Iowa DOT (Media release)

Interdisciplinary Team of Researchers Explores How Canal Corridors Can Support Active Transportation – Utah State University (Media release)

AIR QUALITY

How Fast-Growing Colorado Is Tackling Its Transportation Emissions – RMI

Vermont pushes forward with California car emissions rule, but that won’t close the 2030 emissions gap – VTDigger

Bloomberg Green’s Electric Car Ratings – Bloomberg

Tailwind growing behind tackling aviation industry emissions – Reuters

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

In Debate Over Chicago’s Speed Cameras, Concerns Over Safety, Racial Disparities Collide – ProPublica

Black communities in the US will be hardest hit by floods caused by climate change, say scientists – World Economic Forum

NATURAL RESOURCES

FHWA Provides $5.7 Million in Emergency Relief Funding to Repair Flood Damage in Montana – FHWA (Media release)

HEALTH AND HUMAN ENVIRONMENT/ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

TRIP Report Analyzes Recent Spike in Traffic Fatalities – AASHTO Journal

MassDOT approves Northampton’s street plan for bikers, pedestrians – The Reminder

Downtown Miami store owners say new bike lanes decrease walk-in business – WSVN-TV

Cities Require More Data to Improve Micromobility Projects – Governing

New Deloitte study puts e-bikes ahead of e-cars as most popular and ‘most attractive’ electric transportation – Electrek

N.J.’s ‘safe passing’ law to protect bikers, pedestrians faces education challenge – NJ.com

Improved Illinois Bike Maps Blaze New Trail – Illinois DOT (Media release)

University of Arkansas Receives Grant To Develop Roadmap For Smart Mobility Initiatives – University of Arkansas (Media release)

TRB RESOURCES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

Design Practices for Rock Slopes and Rockfall Management – NCHRP

Guide to Implementation of the Toward Zero Deaths National Strategy on Highway Safety – NCHRP

TRB’s Automated Road Transportation Symposium – TRB

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES

FY 2022 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Passenger Ferry Grant Program, Electric or Low-Emitting Ferry Pilot Program, and Ferry Service for Rural Communities Program – FTA (Notice)

Federal Support for Local Decision-Making Public Listening Session – Bureau of Transportation Statistics (Notice of open meeting)

Air Plan Approval; Michigan; Emissions Statement Program and Base Year Emissions Inventory – EPA (Final rule)

Air Plan Approval; Washington; Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency, General Air Quality Regulations – EPA (Final rule)

Air Plan Approval; Georgia; Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program – EPA (Proposed rule)

White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Notification of Virtual Public Meeting – EPA (Notice)

Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program – FRA (Notice)

Notice of Acceptance of a Noise Exposure Map and Review of a Noise Compatibility Program – FAA (Notice)

ETAP Podcast: Native Language Road Signs

This episode of the Environmental Technical Assistance Program or ETAP Podcast touches on the topic of creating more road signs featuring more of the indigenous languages spoken in the United States with representatives of the Iowa Department of Transportation and Minnesota Department of Transportation.

[Above photo by Jimmy Emerson]

The United States is a country with over 150 indigenous languages still spoken today within its borders. With 5.2 million Indigenous people residing in the country today, speaking those 150-plus languages, why aren’t more of our road signs printed in these native languages? That is what teams from Iowa DOT and Minnesota DOT – along with a variety of indigenous partners – set out to change.

This ETAP podcast discussion involves Brennan Dolan, cultural resources team lead and tribal liaison for the Iowa DOT; Ed Fairbanks, retired tribal liaison for the Minnesota DOT; and Mary Otto, tribal state relations training manager with the Minnesota DOT.

To listen to this podcast, click here.

Video: AASHTO Highlights Resilience in Knowledge Session

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently released a video providing an overview of its knowledge session on infrastructure resilience during its 2022 Spring Meeting in New Orleans.

[Above photo by AASHTO]

The “Special Report” compiled by AASHTO’s Transportation TV details how “resilience analysis” has become a cornerstone of the infrastructure decision-making process for state departments of transportation and federal transportation agencies alike.

Moderated by David Sweeney, president and CEO of engineering and architectural firm RS&H, the panel explored how “resilience” is becoming a critical factor in extending the overall lifecycle of infrastructure assets while also hardening them against potential damage from both natural and man-made disasters.

The knowledge session included Marc Williams, executive director of the Texas DOT; Ed Sniffen, deputy director for highways at the Hawaii DOT; Will Watts, assistant secretary for engineering and operations at Florida DOT; and Aimee Flannery, a surface transportation analyst from the Office of the USDOT Secretary.