Background
As documented the TRB Research in Progress database, Utah DOT initiated a project to help identify the benefit cost for installing wildlife fencing:
Current wildlife projects are justified and determined using only crash history and assumptions of the crash reduction and benefit of installing wildlife fencing. This research will help quantify the reduction in crashes from installing wildlife fencing, providing a better comparison of safety benefit as compared to other safety projects.
This original project was limited in scope to wildlife fencing in Utah.
Research
WTRC is funding an expansion of this research project to evaluate wildlife fencing in four additional pooled fund study member states: Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming. This expanded effort will improve data analytics and benefit-cost calculations by considering the impact of such fencing in varied geographical environments across the western region.