The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) awarded $125 million in grants for 16 wildlife crossing projects across 16 states, including one Native American Tribe. The Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, created under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, funds these projects to enhance safety and habitat connectivity by reducing vehicle collisions with wildlife.
The program aims to prevent accidents and protect wildlife by constructing overpasses and underpasses, installing fencing to guide animals, and monitoring crossing system performance. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates $350 million for this initiative through 2026.
Each year, over one million wildlife-vehicle collisions occur in the U.S., causing approximately 200 human fatalities, 26,000 injuries, and over $10 billion in damages. Highways fragment habitats and pose significant threats to wildlife populations by limiting movement and increasing collision risks.
Highlighted projects include:
- Oregon: $33.2 million for a wildlife overpass and fencing along I-5 in Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.
- North Carolina: $25 million for multiple underpasses on US-64 in Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.
- Idaho: $21 million for three underpasses and fencing along US-30 in Bear Lake County.
- Nevada: $16.8 million for 61 crossings and 68 miles of fencing along US-93.
- Maine: $9.3 million for a wildlife passage culvert in Caribou.
- Florida: $6.1 million for a US-27 underpass and fencing to protect the Florida panther and other species.
Last year, FHWA awarded $110 million for 19 projects in 17 states. The second funding round, announced in June 2024, received 61 applications requesting over $585 million, demonstrating continued national interest in the program. These projects will reduce crashes, mitigate economic costs, and sustain ecosystems while improving public safety.