Teton County approves wildlife crossings plan

The Teton County, Wyoming Board of Commissioners approved a Wildlife Crossings Master Plan Tuesday. Officials said more than 300 animals are hit and killed each year on Teton County roads.

The $100,000 contract with the Western Transportation Institute (WTI) will help develop a plan to ensure Jackson Hole wildlife populations can safely move throughout their habitat. It should also decrease the chance of vehicle-wildlife collisions.

“This project addresses two very important Teton County goals — sustaining a healthy ecosystem and ensuring public safety,” Chair Barbara Allen said.

The master plan will set priorities for road crossings in specific locations, define the measures that will be most effective, identify potential sources of funding, and propose methods for monitoring crossings in the future to assess their success.

Over the next year, WTI will develop proposals in conjunction with land managers, the public, and non-profit agencies that have been studying wildlife issues.

WTI is a Montana-based consulting team that is considered to be a global leader in wildlife crossing research.

“We are anxious to get this critical part of the process started so that we can prioritize projects and begin to figure out ways to fund and build projects that can make a real difference here,” said Amy Ramage, Teton County engineering manager.