Potential Impacts of Highway Median Barriers on Wildlife: State of the Practice and Gap Analysis

• Published in: Environmental management (New York) 2013-11, Vol.52 (5), p.1299-1312
• Main Authors: Clevenger, Anthony P., Kociolek, Angela V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic - prevention & control; Accidents, Traffic - statistics & numerical data; Animal Migration - physiology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Automobile drivers; Barriers; Biological and medical sciences; Collisions; Concrete; Conservation of Natural Resources - methods; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Design; Devices; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Ecosystem; Environment; Environmental degradation: ecosystems survey and restoration; Environmental impact; Environmental Management; Fatalities; Forestry Management; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Habitats; Highway transportation; Highways; Mortality; Motor Vehicles; Movements; Nature Conservation; Permeability; Roads & highways; Safety devices; Searching; Traffic accidents & safety; Transportation; Transportation - instrumentation; Transportation - statistics & numerical data; Transportation planning; Trends; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Wildlife; Wildlife management
• ISSN: 0364-152X; 1432-1009
• DOI: 10.1007/s00267-013-0155-0

Median barriers separate lanes of traffic moving in opposite directions on multilane highways. Such traffic safety devices can reduce head-on collisions but also have the potential to reduce landscape permeability by impeding wildlife movements across highways. Median barriers may also increase the risk of wildlife–vehicle collisions if an animal becomes trapped or confused amid barriers searching for a place to cross. A 2002 Transportation Research Board report highlighted the need to better understand the potential impacts of highway median barriers on wildlife. This lack of information can cause significant project delays and increase transportation project costs. This study represents the first attempt in North America to bring together information about highway median and roadside barriers and wildlife and provide preliminary guidelines to balance the needs of motorist safety and wildlife movements.