New laws beef up Montana's wildlife crossings
Snowflakes collect on a deer's ear at Lawrence Park on Wednesday, Nov. 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider
Montana has taken a major step toward protecting both wildlife and drivers with the passage of two groundbreaking pieces of legislation this spring: House Bill 855 and House Bill 932. Together, the new laws establish the state’s first dedicated funding streams for wildlife crossings, structures proven to reduce collisions and improve landscape connectivity.
Montana currently has the second-highest per capita rate of wildlife-vehicle collisions in the United States. The average driver faces a 1-53 chance of hitting an animal each year and 13% of reported collisions in the state are related to wildlife, according to the Montana Department of Transportation. These crashes pose serious risks to people and animals alike, and cost Montanans tens of millions of dollars annually.
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