Georgia awarded almost $2.2 million to prevent deadly wildlife-vehicle crashes

ATLANTA, GA — The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the State of Georgia was awarded nearly $2.2 million in grant funding to help prevent deadly vehicle crashes with wildlife in the state.

The grant award was given to the Georgia Department of Transportation by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program “to integrate wildlife-vehicle reduction measures and habitat connectivity goals into transportation project planning and construction.”

Across the United States, federal officials said more than one million wildlife-vehicle collisions happen each year, impacting drivers and wildlife and leading to about 200 human deaths and 26,000 injuries to drivers and their passengers.

“Too many Americans are injured or killed each year in crashes involving cars and wildlife, especially in rural areas – which is why our Department created the first-ever program dedicated to crossings that make roads and highways safer for both humans and wildlife,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “With funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the projects moving forward in 16 states will reduce collisions between drivers and wildlife, create places for wildlife to safely move over and under highways, and help preserve American life and property.”

Overall, the crashes lead to what USDOT said was about $10 billion in damages to the public, split between economic costs like losing income, medical costs, property damage and more.

Federal officials said the $2.2 million grant awarded to GDOT will be used to create a wildlife crossing prioritization tool, which will include analysis of wildlife-vehicle collisions, early coordination of habitat connectivity, monitoring of plans for projects and use of wildlife crossing educational materials.

“Safety is FHWA’s top priority, and these roadway safety investments will ensure that motorists and wildlife get to their destinations safely while advancing a safe, efficient transportation system that benefits all road users as well as the environment,” Acting Federal Highway Deputy Administrator Gloria M. Shepherd said.