Small animals attempting to cross traffic can present a significant safety hazard for all road users. In Minnesota, two species of turtles are especially at risk.
To help keep the turtles off the roadways and out of harm’s way, the Minnesota Department of Transportation collaborated with the state Department of Natural Resources to create standardized plans and specifications for small animal exclusion fencing using readily available materials.
The most effective designs reduced the mortality rate of the turtles by an average of 91 percent during the study’s three-year period.
Read the two-page summary: Improving Road Safety and Wildlife Conservation with Barrier Fencing, August 2022.
Image source: Minnesota Department of Transportation