Wildlife Crossings Gain Popularity As Collisions Drop

A migration path for Wyoming's abundant wildlife has been severed by the existence of Route 191, a major transportation artery running north to south through the western part of the state. In both spring and fall, collisions with mule deer and pronghorn tend to spike in the state's Pinedale region.

Attempting to solve the problem, the Wyoming Department of Transportation partnered with the state wildlife agency and nonprofit groups to create a series of wildlife crossings, a concept lauded by environmentalists and transportation officials alike, The New York Times reports.

Collisions in the area have dropped more than 90 percent.

“It felt like we finally found something that works,” Jennifer Hoffman, an engineer at the Wyoming Department of Transportation, told The Times. “People are pretty hesitant to do something new. Once you’ve done it, and it does what you said it would do, they’re willing to do it more.”

Read more via The New York Times