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DVCIC Activities and Results - Year Two

DVCIC Activities and Results - Year Two. Committee/Board Meeting and Symposium. UW-Madison Pyle Center February 12-13, 2004. Presentation Outline. Provide “Updated” DVC Numbers State Clearinghouse Objectives Summarize some Website Statistics and Other Information Sharing Activities

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DVCIC Activities and Results - Year Two

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  1. DVCIC Activitiesand Results - Year Two Committee/Board Meetingand Symposium UW-Madison Pyle Center February 12-13, 2004

  2. Presentation Outline • Provide “Updated” DVC Numbers • State Clearinghouse Objectives • Summarize some Website Statistics and Other Information Sharing Activities • Update of Clearinghouse Activities: • Updated Toolbox Results/Status • Regional DVC Data Management Survey • UW Sign Study • Activities for Next Year

  3. 2002

  4. WISCONSIN NUMBERS • Pretty Constant the Last Few Years • One of Six or Seven Crashes • Some Counties > 45 or 50% • 2002 - About 20,000 Reported

  5. REGIONAL NUMBERS (2000-2002) Notes: 1) Deer or Animal Crashes. 2) Reported versus Estimated. 3) $1,700/Crash Vehicle Damage. 4) National Estimates.

  6. TRB Subcommittee Synthesis and NCHRP Project States/Provinces Michigan New Jersey Texas Utah South/North Carolina Georgia Minnesota Ontario British Columbia Saskatchewan Montana Pool: California Iowa Indiana Maryland North Dakota New Hampshire Nevada New York Oregon Wisconsin Wyoming NATIONAL ACTIVITIES

  7. DVCIC OBJECTIVES • Compile Current DVC-Related Knowledge • Develop/Promote Standard DVC-Related Research and DVC Data Collection/Information Management Approaches

  8. DVCIC OBJECTIVES (Cont.) • Collect, Evaluate, and Analyze Regional DVC-Related Data • Create/Update DVC-Related Data Information System

  9. DVCIC OBJECTIVES (Cont.) • Distribute Useful DVC-Related Information/Findings through the Following Deliverables: • Countermeasure Toolbox • Data Management and Information Survey • Standards Proposal • Regional Data Collection Summary • Webpage (www.deercrash.com)

  10. DVCIC OBJECTIVES (Cont.) • Maintain/Update Information Sources and Knowledge Exchange: • Webpage (www.deercrash.com) • DVC Database and Annual Summary • Papers/Presentations (TAC, TRB, and Others) • Annual Regional Symposia

  11. DVCIC OBJECTIVES (Cont.) • Long-Term: • Contribute to a Decrease in the Frequency and Severity of Deer-Vehicle Crashes (i.e., Useful Information and Monitoring) • “Destination of Choice”

  12. WEBSITE AND INFO SHARING • Website: • Est. 200+ hits per day • Est. 15 Users per day • Noise Devices Site Most Popular • Significant Resource for IIHS Report • Meetings: 2003 TAC, 2004 TRB, 2003 ICOET, 2003 Iowa Mid-Continent, and 2004 Winter WI Cty. Comm.

  13. INFO SHARING (Cont.) • Numerous Media Responses: • Wisconsin Outdoor Journal • Men’s Health Magazine • Canadian Broadcasting Corporation • Milwaukee Public Radio - “At Ten”, and WGN

  14. THE TOOLBOX • Objective: Provide Detail Needed to Support/Defend DVC Countermeasure Application Choices and Decisions • Current Knowledge Related to DVC Reduction Effectiveness • 16 Countermeasures

  15. Noise/Sound/Whistle Devices Reflectors/Mirrors Deer-Flagging Models Deer Crossing Signs Intercept Feeding Speed Limit Reduction Highway Lighting Repellants Deicing Salt Alternatives In-Vehicle Technologies THE COUNTERMEASURES • Roadside Vegetation Management • Hunting or Herd Reduction • Exclusionary Fence • Roadway Development Decisions • Public Information and Education • Wildlife Crossings (Ongoing)

  16. COUNTERMEASURE UPDATES • Noise/Sound/Whistle Devices • UPDATE: Acoustical Physicist Investigated Combinations of Device Sound Levels, Deer Hearing Range, and Necessary Field Characteristics for Effectiveness • Deer Crossing Signs/Tech. • More Systems (Proposed and Running) and Options • Deicing Salt Alternatives • ROW Salt Ponds and Moose Hits in Canada

  17. NEW 2003 SUMMARIES • Exclusionary Fencing • Range of Fencing Studies With and Without Complementary Infrastructure/Activities • One-Way Gates • Wildlife Crossings • Active Maintenance and Animal Removal • Cattleguards • 60 to 97 Percent Reduction Range in Animal Mortality (Result Patterns?) • Primarily 8-Foot (2.44-Meter) Fencing Used - Studies of Other Heights are Questionable

  18. NEW 2003 SUMMARIES (Cont.) • Exclusionary Fencing • Potential Factors that Impact Fencing Effectiveness: • Proper Installation (e.g., Height, Location/Length, and Strength) • Active Maintenance/Repair • Complementary Infrastructure • Vigilant Removal of Animals • Location with Respect to Woods, Grazing Land, and Topography • Suggested Extension of Ends 1/2-mile (0.8 km) beyond Activity Area

  19. NEW 2003 SUMMARIES (Cont.) • Roadside Vegetation Management • Suspected DVC Impacts are Mostly Anecdotal • Further Analysis/Study Needed • Summary Includes List/MN Tool Site • Public Awareness/Education and Hunting or Herd Reduction • Part of a Complete DVC-Reduction Program, but Impacts of Policy Changes are Difficult to Prove • No Studies on Educational DVC Impact • Models Show Relationships between Herd Density and DVC Trends (One of Several Variables) • Small Area Hunting Studies Show Some Potential

  20. NEW 2003 SUMMARIES (Cont.) • Roadway Development Decisions • Proposed: Inherent Consideration of Animal Mortality in Maintenance, Design, and Planning/Programming Decisions and Processes • Potential DVC-Reduction Impacts • Some GIS and Expert Systems Combining Habitat and Safety Information to Identify Existing/Proposed “Wildlife Critical” Locations

  21. ONGOING SUMMARY • Wildlife Crossings • Effectiveness Often Measured by Animal Use rather than DVC-Reduction • Some Potential Factors that Impact Use: Location, Adjacent Topography/Vegetation, Geometrics, Fencing, and Human Activity • Variability in Studies (e.g., Species, Crossing Designs, and Location) Limits Transferability of Specific Conclusions • Great Study Summary in “Road Ecology” Book

  22. ONGOING SUMMARY (Cont.)

  23. REGIONAL DATA SURVEY • Final Form on Web and then Hard Copy in Next Few Months • 9 DNR Questions and 18 DOT Questions • Written Responses and Telephone Follow-Up • Primary Focus: Deer, Vehicle Travel, and DVC Data Characteristics, Collection, and Management

  24. SURVEY(Cont.) • Objectives • Share DVC-Related Data Characteristics and Collection/Management Procedures Used by Individual States with DVCIC Partners and Beyond • Allow Proper DVC-Related Data Comparisons Between and Within States • Allow Proper DVC-Related Data Combinations within Region Annually and from Year to Year within States • Similar National Consideration at TRB

  25. SOME DATA SURVEY CONCLUSIONS • Annual Deer Population Estimates done Pre- or Post-Hunt at DMU or County Level • DNRs Rarely Consulted on Roadway Planning Projects about Animal/Vehicle Conflicts • Other States: Carcass Removal Primarily a State and Local DOT Job - Done When Needed but Usually not Recorded • DNRs Typically Not Consulted about Deer Crossing Sign Locations

  26. CONCLUSIONS (Cont.) • States in Region are Using Reflectors, Fencing/Bridges, Crossing Signs, and Crossing Signs with Detectors as Countermeasures (Some Studied for Effectiveness) • Minimum Crash Reporting Thresholds Vary ($400 to $1,000) and Almost all Have Changed during Last 10 Years • Two DOTs Appear to have a Rule of Thumb Consideration to Install Crossing Signs

  27. UW SIGN STUDY • Presented at 2004 TRB/Paper on Website • Plotted Deer Carcass Removal (DCR) to DVC Ratios by County [State Average Ratio: 2.2] • Ranked Counties by Six DCR and DVC measures: • Total Magnitude • Per HMVMT • Roadway Mile • Land Area • Human Population • Deer Population

  28. SIGN STUDY CONTENT • Selected Five Counties/38 Sign Pairs • Considered 1/4-Mile and Segment DVC Rates and Frequencies • Evaluated DVC Peaking Patterns • Suggested Seven Step Installation Guidelines • State Average • County Average • DVC Peaking Between Signs

  29. Sign Locations 2 Mile Outside Segment 2 Mile Outside Segment Variable Length Between Segment TYPICAL STUDY SITE Study Site Length

  30. EXAMPLE 1/4-MILE DVC PATTERN

  31. PROPOSED INSTALLATION GUIDELINES • Step 1: Site Visit/Segment Definition • Determine Physical Limits • Discuss with Natural Resource Staff • < 1.0 Mile (Reconsider Sign Installation) • > 5.0 Miles (Consider Multiple sign Pairs) • Step 2: DVC Data Collection • Define Sign Segment Plus 2 Miles in Each Direction • Three Years of Location-Based DVC Data • County and State Averages

  32. INSTALLATION GUIDELINES (Cont.) • Step 3: DVC Measure Calculations • DVCs/mile/year and DVCs per HMVMT • 1/4-Mile and Average Segment Measures Between and Outside Signs • Step 4: State/County Average Comparison • Between Sign Average Measures > State Average • Between Sign Average Measures > County Average • If Either is Not True: Reconsider Installation

  33. INSTALLATION GUIDELINES (Cont.) • Step 5: Between to Outside Comparison • Calculate Between to Outside DVC Measure Ratio and Compare to 1.0 and County Average (If Available) • If Less than Either: Reconsider Installation • Step 6: Positive Sign Location (PSL) Determination • Is Site a PSL (i.e., Are 1/4-mile DVC Measures and Averages Between Signs of Study Site)? • If not: Redefine Proposed Sign Location and Study Site (See Step 7).

  34. INSTALLATION GUIDELINES (Cont.) • Step 7: Redefine Sign Study Site • Consider Peak DVC Measures for each 1/4-Mile, Between Signs, and Outside the Signs • Shift Study Site to Include All Measures Between Signs (i.e., a PSL Results) • Lengthen Study Site to Include All Measures Between Signs • If Redefined Length > 5 Miles Consider Multiple Sign Pairs • Reapply Procedure from Step 2 for Redefined Study Site

  35. GUIDELINE LIMITATIONS • Installation Only Allowed at Sites with DVC Problems > Existing Sites • Effectiveness Depends on Previous Decisions • Required Measures Can be Difficult to Collect, Calculate, and/or Update • Adjustments Needed if Applied to Existing Sign Locations

  36. FUTURE DVCIC ACTIVITIES • Print Regional Data Survey • Complete/Review Wildlife Crossings, Exec. Summary and Conc./Rec. of Toolbox • Collect 10 Years of Upper Midwest DVC-Related Data and Summarize • Update a UW County-Level DVC Prediction Models • Propose Research Guidance and Strategy • Pursue Clearinghouse Continuation Funding

  37. Questions and Discussion Website: www.deercrash.com

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