Road Ecology Center

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) owns over 3,000 steel and concrete bridges, many of which are occupied by wildlife. Species documented occupying bridges range from birds of prey, such as ospreys, peregrines and owls, to mammals such as raccoons, bats and bushy tailed wood rats. While the bridges are playing an important role in providing habitat for wildlife, their presence can also lead to costly project delays. Project Objective The project objective is to develop a comprehensive approach to managing wildlife issues on bridges that will allow WSDOT to manage the bridges for wildlife where appropriate, and to address the regulatory issues that must be addressed for projects to proceed smoothly