Rethinking how wildlife moves to make roads safer

Across the U.S., expanding road networks are breaking up natural habitats — making it harder for wildlife to move safely and increasing the risk of vehicle collisions. These risks do more than affect ecosystems; they also put drivers and communities in harm’s way. Yet wildlife crossings have historically planned case by case, without a consistent framework to guide where they’re most needed or how they should be designed. This pilot program has changed that. Testing new approaches to planning and delivery established clearer pathways for where crossings can have the greatest impact — improving safety while restoring connections between fragmented habitats.

Jacobs supported the development of the pilot by bringing together ecological data, risk analysis and infrastructure insight to guide decision-making. We worked with the client to identify priority locations, evaluate collision risks and shape approaches that respond to both species behavior and real-world constraints. This work moves beyond individual projects — creating a stronger evidence base for how crossings can be planned at scale and delivering a more consistent, informed approach that supports confident infrastructure investment, with improved safety outcomes and long-term ecosystem resilience.