Wildlife Crossings and Fencing to Reduce Collisions on U.S. 93

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) awarded a $16.8 million grant to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) to build 61 wildlife crossings and install 68 miles of exclusionary fencing along U.S. Highway 93. This project will reduce vehicle collisions with wildlife. 

The Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP) grant will go towards the proposed Coyote Springs Wildlife Crossings Project, located along U.S. 93 near Coyote Springs in Clark and Lincoln Counties. The initiative represents a goal shared by NDOT, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management. 

Key benefits of the project include protecting drivers, supporting the conservation of the Mojave Desert tortoise, allowing wildlife a safe passage across fragmented habitats and aid in Tortoise recovery. 

NDOT will now initiate a National Environmental Policy Act study and begin the construction planning process, which usually takes several years. 

A start date for construction has not yet been determined. 

Source: NDOT, KLAS