This morning, Scioto Analysis published a cost-benefit analysis about the impacts of building wildlife crossings in areas with high amounts of wildlife-vehicle collisions. Using conservative estimates, we estimate that a strategically-located wildlife crossing would provide $14 million in net benefits over the lifespan of the structure. This would come about by preventing 60 injuries, one fewer passenger fatality, and 1,200 fewer wildlife deaths.
Wildlife-vehicle collisions currently pose a large risk to humans, animals, and the environment. Each year, one to two million crashes occur between vehicles and wildlife in the United States, causing an estimated 200 passenger fatalities, 26,000 injuries, and more than $8 billion in economic costs including vehicle damage and medical expenses. However, wildlife crossings, which are bridges, tunnels, culverts, fencing, and other infrastructure that allows animals to safely cross roadways, have shown to significantly reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.
Across wildlife crossing projects in Washington and Colorado, wildlife crossings have been observed to decrease collisions by more than 90%. By targeting high collision areas over a 70-year lifespan, we estimate that one strategically-placed wildlife crossing can produce the following from reducing collisions:
$7.5 million in prevented passenger fatalities
$2.5 million lower medical expenses
$1.6 million in prevented vehicle damage
$1.5 million in animal lives saved
Beyond benefits from reduced collisions, we also estimate that one wildlife crossing would result in $2.1 million in improved ecosystem services. By enabling animals to cross roadways safely, wildlife crossings can improve habitat connectivity. Large mammals such as deer, elk, and moose can return to their regular migratory patterns that were interrupted by road construction, which improves biodiversity and ecosystem strength.
We conducted 10,000 simulations of wildlife crossings with different variables and costs to test our model. We find that the benefits outweigh the costs of building a wildlife crossing in a strategic location in 99.7% of instances. In the middle 90% of our simulations, net social benefits are between $11 million and $147 million. Wildlife crossings can be a valuable, and in many cases, a low-cost infrastructure project for state and local governments to carry out to improve the safety and environmental well-being of their communities.
Scioto Analysis also made a calculator available for policymakers and planners interested in estimating the effects of wildlife crossings in their communities. The calculator is free for download here.