US rolls out funding for wildlife crossings along busy roads

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press

SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) — U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is in New Mexico to roll out details of what federal officials are billing as the first-of-its-kind pilot program to prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve connections between habitats. States, Native American tribes and local governments will be able to apply for grants funded through the federal infrastructure law to build wildlife crossings over busy roads, add warning signs for drivers, and develop mapping and tracking tools. Federal highway officials say that each year, about 200 people in the U.S. are killed in collisions involving wildlife and vehicles. A total of $350 million will be made available over five years for the pilot program.