US allocates $350 million funding for wildlife crossing pilot program

The US announced $350 million in funding for a pilot program, which will be dedicated to wildlife crossings.

It has been shown by studies that more than 350 million vertebrate animals and about 200 people lose their lives every year in vehicle-wildlife collisions in the US.

The funding will be split in grants over a five-year period, where the first one will be issued this year and will consist of $111 million.

The funds will be used for the construction of wildlife crossings and the addition of warning signs on busy highways, as well as wildlife tracking for the optimal construction areas to be specified.

Many states, mainly Western, such as Colorado, Arizona, Utah and Nevada have already invested in wildlife crossings and relevant legislation, while California and New Mexico are following. More specifically, last year California unveiled plans for the construction of the world’s largest wildlife crossing and New Mexico set aside $100 million for conservation projects, including the state’s first wildlife overpasses.

It is worth mentioning that this funding is the largest to be dedicated to roads and bridges in a generation, and the largest single sum ever allocated to wildlife-vehicle collisions.