Wildlife Crossings: Saving Lives on the Road

Once upon a time in Texas, the wildlife was struggling to survive. The roads were dangerous places for animals, especially endangered species like the ocelot and Houston toad.

But then something amazing happened.

The Texas Department of Transportation began building wildife crossings along major highways to help protect the animals and keep drivers safe.

Since the 1990s, 32 wildlife crossings have been built throughout the Lone Star State. These bridges are concrete tunnels that connect existing wildlife paths under highways.

They guide wildlife to pass under the road rather than over it, reducing the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions and improving highway safety for the traveling public.

Hardberger Park Land Bridge Construction from San Antonio Public Works on Vimeo.

The bridges were created in part to protect endangered species like the ocelot and Houston toad. Twenty-one of the bridges were built in locations in South Texas specifically to protect ocelots that live near the Mexico border. Once found throughout the Southwestern U.S., fewer than 100 of the wildcats remain in South Texas. The species, which has been greatly reduced in population due to habitat loss and fragmentation, has been listed as endangered since 1972.

Wildlife crossings have also been installed in Corpus Christi, El Paso, and Austin. Specifically, crossings in Austin were created to protect the endangered Houston toad, an endangered species of amphibian endemic to Texas. The crossing in El Paso was spurred by vehicle collisions with mule deer in the Franklin Mountains.

But the bridges aren't just good for animals. They also have benefits for humans. Wildlife collisions cost people millions of dollars annually in collision-related expenses. Keeping wildlife off the highway reduces the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions and improves highway safety for the traveling public.

Moreover, the bridges that span waterways are also more resilient to flooding and less likely to sustain damages, thereby saving taxpayer dollars. TxDOT applied for federal grant funding from the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program for two more locations to protect the wild animals.

So far, efforts have been successful, TxDOT said, pointing to 26 documented sightings of species using the crossings. These include a mountain lion, alligator, ocelot, bobcat, coyote, Texas indigo snake, striped skunk, raccoon, beaver, and bridled weasel. Thirteen more of the crossings are planned for the Pharr area.

Thanks to the Texas Department of Transportation's commitment to building wildlife bridges, the animals of Texas now have dedicated crossings throughout the state. These bridges are helping to protect endangered species, reduce wildlife