2/11/2016
ITD News Release
Contact: Reed Hollinshead | Public Information Specialist | (208) 334-8881
NORTHERN IDAHO – Collisions between wildlife and vehicles can be a big problem, and common in rural states such as Idaho. Those collisions account for more than $8.4 billion nationwide each year, and cost Idaho a total of nearly $20 million last year. The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is investigating a system that could significantly reduce these wildlife-vehicle conflicts.
ITD’s Research Program has initiated a project to evaluate an innovative new wildlife-detection system that may bring improved safety to area highways, and reduce the personal injury and property damage. The project is the result of a request from ITD’s northern Idaho office, and is a partnership between ITD and the Western Transportation Institute (WTI) of Montana State University.
“Wildlife-vehicle collisions are a costly safety issue for Idaho travelers,” said ITD Research Program Manager Ned Parrish. “Injuries and the loss of life — human or wild animal — are broad social and environmental concerns.”