How the transportation bill can protect communities, wildlife and taxpayers

America’s transportation infrastructure is the backbone of the nation’s economy, keeping commuters safe, supply chains moving and essential services accessible. The current surface transportation law, enacted five years ago, plays a critical role in maintaining those functions but is set to expire in September.

The Senate is working on legislation that would extend current transportation programs through early December and provide lawmakers with additional time to work on a surface transportation reauthorization bill. In May, the House took a significant step forward when the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the BUILD America 250 Act with a strong bipartisan vote of 62-2.

The bill’s return on investment will depend in part on whether lawmakers preserve and strengthen several less well-known but highly effective programs: the Wildlife Crossings Program, the Protect program and the National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant program.

As Congress advances toward a final reauthorization bill, lawmakers across the political spectrum should continue to enhance these programs to ensure that taxpayer dollars are invested in ways that reduce crashes, keep roads open during disasters, and help local economies thrive.

Animal-vehicle collisions are a persistent national public safety problem, resulting in hundreds of human fatalities, more than 26,000 injuries and over $8 billion in annual costs — more than $12 billion when adjusted for inflation. They can disproportionately affect rural communities, where fish, wildlife and livestock are central to the landscape, culture, and traditions.

Wildlife crossings, such as overpasses and underpasses, paired with fencing, are proven solutions that can reduce collisions by up to 97 percent. Fewer collisions mean improved safety for the traveling public, lower medical costs and........

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