Experts Highlight Urgent Need for Federal Investment in Wildlife Crossings
Briefing addresses key questions on costs, safety, and ecosystem benefits
As Congress continues to work on the next surface transportation bill, experts from state transportation and wildlife agencies, Tribal organizations, the insurance industry, and the engineering sector gathered on Capitol Hill on April 23 to make the case to lawmakers for continued federal investment in wildlife crossings.
Speakers at the Hill Briefing on Wildlife Crossings described wildlife crossings as a practical, bipartisan, and cost-effective solution to a widespread problem: collisions between vehicles and large migratory animals. They said that the federal Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP) has already helped states, Tribes, and transportation agencies plan and build projects that reduce crashes, protect drivers, and reconnect fragmented habitat.
“We’re saving people’s lives. We’re saving wildlife lives. And we’re also saving taxpayer dollars,” said Renee Callahan, executive director of ARC Solutions. “It’s a win-win-win.”
What is the scale of the problem?
The frequency of wildlife-vehicle collisions on U.S. roads is staggering. Motorists travel approximately 8 billion miles every day in the U.S.—a distance roughly twice the gap between the sun and Pluto. During those travels, a motorist hits a large animal about every 26 seconds or less.
These incidents represent a massive public safety and financial burden. Bill Blumenthal, director of legislative affairs at State Farm Insurance, said that the insurance sector received an estimated 1.7 million claims related to animal collisions between July 2024 and June 2025. “It’s a huge disruption to a driver’s life, his or her family, and the communities where they live,” Blumenthal said. Nationally, these collisions result in approximately 200 human deaths and more than $10 billion in societal costs each year.
How effective are crossing structures?
Data shows that well-designed infrastructure, such as overpasses and underpasses paired with directional fencing, can reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions by up to 97% for certain species.
“It’s really one of the only transportation infrastructures that we can put on the landscape and get that kind of immediate success,” said Nova Simpson, wildlife crossings program manager at the Nevada Department of Transportation. She noted that in Nevada, overpasses have seen immediate success rates of 80% or higher.
Jason Smith, a vice president at Jacobs, a global design and engineering firm that builds wildlife crossings, echoed this focus on roadway safety: “Obstructions don’t belong on the roadway. Whether it’s a rock, a stalled vehicle, or wildlife, we want to make sure we have a safe roadway for the traveling public.”
Why is federal funding essential?
The demand for the WCPP has far exceeded its initial five-year $350 million allocation. Bart Melton, wildlife program director at the National Parks Conservation Association, said that the program has been a “resounding success” but also that applications have reached five times the available funding.
For Tribal nations, the need is even more acute. Shailyn Wiechman, wildlife connectivity coordinator at the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society, explained that Tribal communities often face higher risks because of their rural locations and limited emergency response resources. “We’re not only protecting wildlife, but more importantly, we’re protecting the future generations,” Wiechman said. She urged Congress to address funding inequities by providing up to 100% federal cost shares for Tribal projects.
Can infrastructure support ecosystem resilience?
The panel also argued that crossings do more than prevent crashes; they restore the natural movement patterns essential for healthy animal populations. Angi Bruce, director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, highlighted Wyoming’s Movement Matters initiative, which focuses on all-species mitigation. “To us, success means more than just reducing vehicle collisions and wildlife mortality,” Bruce said. “It means opening up thousands of acres of habitat that were previously inaccessible.”
What is the federal wildlife crossing policy roadmap?
Bipartisan support for the WCPP has continued to grow since the program began. Last year, Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), who hosted the briefing, and Representative Ryan Zinke (R-MT) jointly introduced legislation that would make the program permanent, increase its annual funding, and provide a 100% federal cost share for Tribe-led projects. Two bills in the Senate would achieve similar outcomes. One is co-led by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT), and the other was introduced by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and John Curtis (R-UT).
Lawmakers face a critical decision with the program set to expire in September unless Congress acts to extend federal transportation funding: Either build on the WCPP’s success or let this proven safety program lapse. The briefing served as a timely reminder that investments in crossings yield proven benefits that improve human safety and enhance the resilience of the American landscape.
On May 22, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced the bipartisan Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America’s 250th Act by a 62-2 vote. The legislation would address many of the issues raised during the briefing, including those outlined in the bipartisan WCPP bills in the House and Senate. To ensure that the WCPP can continue to improve the nation’s roadway safety and habitat connectivity, federal lawmakers will need to preserve these measures and funding levels as transportation legislation moves forward.
Forbes Tompkins works on The Pew Charitable Trusts’ U.S. conservation project.
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