Ministry of Transportation launches Wildlife Detection pilot project for BC highways

The BC government announced earlier this week that they are launching two new wildlife detection systems on Highway 3, otherwise known as the Crowsnest Highway.

This pilot project to help warn motorists when wildlife is on or near the highway.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has invested $2.5 million in this pilot project. The project is a recommendation resulting from the BC government’s Rural Highway Safety and Speed Review.

There will be two locations for the wildlife detection systems on Highway 3:

• The Elko site, approximately 1 km east of Elko
• The Michel site, approximately 2 km east of Sparwood

The high numbers of elk and deer which wander onto the highway made them ideal areas to test out the system.

Installation is underway now, and after it’s done, there will be at least two months of testing to ensure the systems are working correctly before they go live.

This is how it works: once activated, sensors will be triggered when large animals approach the highway. Flashing warning signs will light up, telling drivers to slow down to help them avoid hitting the animal.

According to the Rural Highway Safety and Speed Review, residents of the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and the Okanagan felt that wildlife was not a concern but residents of the Central/Cariboo, Kootenays, and here in the North were more likely to see wildlife on the highway as a big concern.

Executive Director of Engineering Services with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Ed Miska said that other jurisdictions have used this technology, and after looking at those cases, the BC government felt this would work in this Province, too.

“We did look at collisions with large wild animals and they happening many parts of the province. Highway 3 is a key area, there are parts of Highway 97, they show up as well.”

After the data following installation of the signs is examined, the Ministry will see if this is a viable solution for other parts of BC.