United States Department of Transportation
i
Testing new technology to restrict wildlife access to highways : phase 1.
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2016-06-01
[PDF-3.53 MB]
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Abstract:Wildlife mitigation systems are as good as the weakest link. Often this is the wildlife exclusion barriers at vehicle access points in wildlife exclusion fencing (8 feet, 2.4 m high). The objective of this research was to find new technology solutions to reduce wildlife access to highways at single cattle guard barriers by augmenting the guards with a product that was as effective as the best deterrents, double cattle guards and wildlife guards. The study first looked at effectiveness of existing barriers with camera traps at 14 locations. In the second step, electric pavement strips were placed in front of single cattle guards at six baited wildlife exclosures in a wild area, in widths of three and four feet. Finally, an electric pavement strip, three feet (0.9 m) wide, in front of an existing single cattle guard at a road interchange at I-15, Exit 31 was evaluated. Double cattle guards and wildlife guards were the most effective design at excluding mule deer from entering roadways; effectiveness was 87 -94 percent in deterring the individual animal approaches. Single cattle guards augmented with electric pavement at baited wildlife exclosures were 91 percent effective in deterring mule deer individuals. Electric pavement at the in-road cattle guard was 64 percent effective in deterring individual mule deer approaches. Recommendations include further research on widths of electric pavement in various settings, and standards within UDOT that include double cattle guards and wildlife guards as the current preferred barrier, and escape ramps near all barriers because no barrier is 100 percent effective in keeping wildlife from entering fenced roads.
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