Florida communities struggling to fund wildlife crossings now have a detailed roadmap — and a compelling financial argument — thanks to a new study commissioned by conservation nonprofit Live Wildly and prepared by engineering firm FDA | Prime AE. Released in September 2026, the report estimates that every dollar spent building a wildlife crossing generates roughly $10 in public benefits, from fewer deadly crashes to healthier natural resources.
The numbers behind Florida's wildlife-vehicle collision problem are stark. More than 20 Florida panthers a year were struck by vehicles between 2014 and 2022, and an average of about 250 black bears have been killed annually on state roads over the past decade. One three-year stretch along State Road 40 through the Ocala National Forest logged more than 63,000 roadkill observations. Nationally, animal-vehicle collisions cause around 200 human deaths, 26,000 injuries, and more than $8 billion in costs each year.
According to the study, wildlife crossings paired with roadside fencing are the single most effective intervention, cutting animal-vehicle collisions by 87% or more. Over a 70-year lifespan, a single crossing is projected to prevent roughly 1,400 collisions, 1.4 passenger fatalities, 60 injuries, and 1,200 animal deaths — while also delivering an estimated $2.1 million in ecological benefits by restoring natural movement corridors that support clean water, pollination, carbon sequestration, and agriculture. For a local government, a $500,000 crossing investment could generate approximately $5 million in total benefits, with costs recouped within about seven years.
To help communities keep costs manageable, the study outlines several practical strategies: retrofitting existing bridges and culverts, using lower-cost materials like corrugated metal and modular precast components, bundling crossing projects into already-planned road or bridge work, and tapping federal funding sources such as the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, the Highway Safety Improvement Program, and the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program. The report also stresses building wildlife connectivity goals into local comprehensive and transportation plans early, before costly redesigns become necessary. Those crossings connect directly to Florida's 18-million-acre Wildlife Corridor — established by the state legislature in 2021 — which supports nearly 2,000 species and generates an estimated $30 billion annually through recreation, tourism, and agriculture.
The full study is available on the Live Wildly website. This story is based on a press release from Live Wildly.
