MoDOT identifies Mid-Missouri roads with most wildlife crashes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Three Mid-Missouri roads have landed on a high-priority list for reducing wildlife-related crashes after a Missouri Department of Transportation study.

The study releaed in February showed 19% of animal crashes statewide have happened in Mid-Missouri in the last 10 years. Most of those crashes were with deer. MoDOT put three Mid-Missouri roads on a high-priority list for improvements.

Those are Route DD in Johnson County, Highway 36 in Macon County and Highway 17 in Pulaski County. 

In Pulaski County, MoDOT is focusing on the the stretch of road near Waynesville in the Roubidoux Creek Conservation Area. The study says that a fourth of all the crashes between mile marker 139 and 141.5 on Highway 17 are wildlife crashes. MoDOT recommended lowering the speed limit in that area, installing signs warning drivers of wildlife and putting up fences to discourage animals from going toward the road.