“Cougars with kittens and black bears with cubs will use the crossings,” Clevenger says.
Those early adapters are important. Not only are they keeping themselves off the road and reducing car-animal collisions right off the bat, but they also create paths that more reticent animals will follow, says Clevenger. Fences also help—they guide animals away from dangerous highway crossings and toward overpasses and underpasses.
In the US, bridge conditions and infrastructure are well documented.
Often associated with conversations around funding.
Time is a factor. There are big investments in time and funding. But time and the elements comes for all bridges. No such thing as a permanent bridge
The problems existing for Major bridges vs rural bridges. How do you measure the importance of a bridge for a community? Accessibility, quality, quantity, overall usage, etc.
Maintenance of infrastructure. What does this mean. To a person? To a community? What do I learn about this, and what do I want someone else to learn and think about it. How to guide them through this idea. Maintenance of infrastructure for whom? The roads were an intrusion into the wildlife’s spaces. The bridges are a bandaid solution
Wildlife Crossings
Bridge Infrastructure