Elk movements associated with a high-traffic highway : Interstate 17.

Details

• Creators:
  Gagnon, Jeffrey W. ; Dodd, Norris L. ; Sprague, Scott C. ; Nelson, Rob ; Loberger, Chad ; Boe, Susan ; Schweinsburg, Raymond E.
• Corporate Creators:
  Arizona. Game and Fish Dept. Research Branch
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Interstate highways
  • Traffic volume
  • Wildlife
  • Wildlife crossings
  • Collisions
  • Fences
  • Global Positioning System
  • Animal migrations
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA-AZ-13-647
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Arizona
• Corporate Publisher:
  Arizona. Department of Transportation
• Abstract:
  The authors evaluated wildlife-highway relationships from 2007 to 2010 along a 46-mi stretch of Interstate ; 17 (I-17) in north-central Arizona (MP 294−340). This highway had an average annual daily traffic (AADT) ; volume of 16,100 vehicles/day during the study. The specific objectives of this research project were to: ;  Assess elk movements, highway crossing patterns, and distribution, and determine permeability. ;  Investigate spatial and temporal relationships of elk crossings and distribution to traffic volume. ;  Investigate spatial and temporal wildlife-vehicle collision (WVC) patterns and traffic relationships. ;  Investigate elk crossings and WVC in relation to riparian-meadow habitats. ;  Develop recommendations to reduce WVC and promote highway permeability. ; The research team instrumented 71 elk (Cervus elaphus) with GPS receiver collars along I-17. Elk crossed ; the highway 912 times and had a mean passage rate of 0.09 crossings/approach. Compared to other Arizona ; highways with lower AADT, I-17 was a significant barrier to elk passage. Passage rates were significantly ; higher along stretches with wide medians and near the Munds Canyon Bridge. In total, 395 WVC were ; analyzed, and an average of 79.0 elk-vehicle collisions occurred each year. Traffic volume influenced elk ; distribution, permeability, and WVC patterns. Proximity to riparian-meadow habitats also influenced elk ; crossing, approach, and WVC locations. The team recommended 17 wildlife passage structures and ; ungulate-proof fencing along the length of I-17 to reduce WVC and promote permeability, largely validating ; the recommendations in the draft environmental assessment (DEA).
  More +
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  SPR-PL-1(173) 647
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/25867/dot_25867_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.81 MB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:778428cad2b93cee7eb9c3444a02c9826ffd68568a23b06c74b1112f7b81c9983260e7ee0dfae67d20c580154e6c9684397f3f1e57e6303d1daa9b142f1afc18