Project No. NCHRP 25-27 FY04 COPY NO.___. Evaluation of the Use and Effectiveness Of Wildlife Crossings NCHRP 25-27 FINAL REPORT Prepared for: National Cooperative Highway Research Program Transportation Research Board of The National Academies John A. Bissonette Ph.D., C.W.B U.S. Geological Survey Utah Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Department of Wildland Resources College of Natural Resources Logan, Utah 84322-5290 1 September 2007 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SPONSORSHIP This work was sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, and was conducted in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, which is administered by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies. i Project No. NCHRP 25-27 FY04 Evaluation of the Use and Effectiveness Of Wildlife Crossings NCHRP 25-27 FINAL REPORT Prepared for: National Cooperative Highway Research Program Transportation Research Board National Research Council TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD NAS-NRC PRIVLEGED DOCUMENT This report, not released for publication, is furnished only for review to members of or participants in the work of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). This report is to be regarded as fully privileged, and dissemination of the information included herein must be approved by the NCHRP. John A. Bissonette Ph.D., C.W.B USGS Utah Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Department of Wildland Resources College of Natural Resources Logan, Utah 84322-5290 1 September 2007 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS...................................................................................................iii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................ vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................... ix Authors and Affiliations ................................................................................................ ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ 1 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 1 Phase 1 Results ............................................................................................................... 3 Phase 2 Research Studies................................................................................................ 4 Interpretation of Research Results.................................................................................. 9 STRUCTURE OF FINAL REPORT................................................................................ 13 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH APPROACH ............................... 15 Introduction................................................................................................................... 15 Research Objectives...................................................................................................... 19 CHAPTER 2: PHASE I SUMMARY .............................................................................. 22 Literature Search and Database (2.1)............................................................................ 22 The State of the Practice and Science of Wildlife Crossings in North America (2.2).. 22 Abstract..................................................................................................................... 22 Introduction............................................................................................................... 23 Research Approach: Methods and Data.................................................................... 23 Findings and Results................................................................................................. 24 Interpretation, Appraisal, and Applications.............................................................. 26 Conclusions and Suggested Research....................................................................... 30 Priorities in Research and Practice (2.3)....................................................................... 32 Abstract..................................................................................................................... 32 Introduction............................................................................................................... 34 Research Approach: Methods and Data.................................................................... 34 Findings and Results................................................................................................. 36 Interpretation, Appraisal, and Applications.............................................................. 44 Conclusions and Suggested Research....................................................................... 45 CHAPTER 3: PHASE II SEGMENTS............................................................................. 47 Safety Data Analysis Aspects (3.1) .............................................................................. 47 Abstract..................................................................................................................... 47 Introduction............................................................................................................... 48 Research Approach: Methods and Data.................................................................... 50 Findings and Results................................................................................................. 54 Interpretation, Appraisal, and Applications.............................................................. 69 Conclusions and Suggested Research....................................................................... 80 Limiting Effects of Road-Kill Reporting Data Due to Spatial Inaccuracy (3.2) .......... 84 Abstract..................................................................................................................... 84 Introduction............................................................................................................... 85 Research Approach: Methods and Data.................................................................... 87 Findings and Results................................................................................................. 92 Interpretation, Appraisal, and Applications.............................................................. 95 iii Hotspots Modeling (3.3) ............................................................................................. 102 Abstract................................................................................................................... 102 Introduction............................................................................................................. 102 Research Approach: Methods and Data.................................................................. 103 Findings and Results............................................................................................... 105 Interpretation, Appraisal, and Applications............................................................ 119 Conclusions............................................................................................................. 121 Influence of Roads on Small Mammals (3.4) ............................................................. 123 Abstract................................................................................................................... 123 Introduction............................................................................................................. 124 Research Approach: Methods and Data.................................................................. 126 Findings and Results............................................................................................... 131 Interpretation, Appraisal, and Applications............................................................ 142 Conclusions............................................................................................................. 142 Restoring Habitat Networks With Allometrically-Scaled Wildlife Crossings (3.5)... 144 Abstract................................................................................................................... 144 Introduction............................................................................................................. 144 Research Approach: Methods and Data.................................................................. 145 Findings and Results............................................................................................... 151 Interpretations, Appraisals, and Applications......................................................... 155 Conclusions............................................................................................................. 157 CHAPTER 4: DECISION GUIDE ................................................................................. 159 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................... 171 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................ 192 Appendix A: Priority Tables and Plan of Action...........................................................