6/12/2023 0 Comments Just roll with it podcast![]() It broke ground last year on what it bills as the world’s largest crossing - a bridge over a major Southern California highway for mountain lions and other animals hemmed in by urban sprawl. Many Western states - including Colorado, Arizona, Utah and Nevada - have already invested substantially in wildlife crossings and in recent years, have adopted legislation that advocates say will allow them to capture millions of dollars in federal matching funds to build the crossings.Ĭalifornia is among the Western states with new legislation. ![]() The dedicated funding includes more than $111 million for the first round of grants that will be issued this year.įederal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt said there are proven practices that can prevent crashes between vehicles and wildlife, and the infrastructure funding will open the door for communities that may not have previously had access to funding for such projects. Nationwide, about 200 people are killed each year in collisions involving wildlife and vehicles, federal officials said.īuttigieg said in a statement issued ahead of his announcement that launching the pilot program marks "an important step to prevent deadly crashes in communities across the country and make America’s roadways safer for everyone who uses them.” Wildlife managers with the New Mexico tribe have documented recent mountain lion casualties along a busy federal highway that cuts through tribal boundaries. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was expected to roll out more details about the program during a visit to Santa Ana Pueblo on Tuesday. (AP) - Native American tribes, as well as state and local governments will be able to tap into $350 million in infrastructure funds to build wildlife corridors along busy roads and add warning signs for drivers in what federal officials are billing as the first-of-its-kind pilot program to prevent collisions and improve habitat connectivity.
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