Act Now: Tell the U.S. Department of Transportation to Improve Motorist Safety and Reduce Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions!

Speak up today for transportation networks to prioritize wildlife connectivity and public safety

The U.S. Department of Transportation is inviting public comments—deadline extended through September 8—on the next version of the Federal Surface Transportation Program. This plan will shape how critical infrastructure needs are identified and funded for years to come. 

One of the most important opportunities in this process is to reduce vehicle–wildlife collisions while connecting, protecting, and restoring wildlife habitats across our roadways. Strong public input can ensure that transportation managers have the funding, design tools, and capacity they need to deliver effective wildlife crossings and other mitigation measures. 

Your voice can help shape strategies that save lives, safeguard wildlife, and make our transportation network more resilient. 

We’ve made it easy to take action– below you’ll find a ready-to-use comment template you can copy, paste, and personalize, plus step-by-step instructions for submitting your comments. 

For more background on why wildlife crossings matter, explore Conservation Northwest work on connecting habitat. 
 

Submit Comments here and select “Public Comment” in the dropdown options 

Example letter for Comment Portal: 
 
Dear Honorable Secretary Duffy and U.S. Department of Transportation Staff, 

I strongly support advancing surface transportation projects that prioritize protecting wildlife and their habitats. I urge the U.S. Department of Transportation to expand programs that fund wildlife crossings, habitat connectivity measures, and ecologically sensitive infrastructure.   

Roads fragment ecosystems, impairing ecological function and wildlife movement. They also lead to dangerous wildlife–vehicle collisions, threatening both animals and people. Expanding programs that fund wildlife crossings and habitat connectivity not only allows animals to adapt to changing environments and climate, it also creates local jobs in rural communities through the construction and maintenance of these structures. Protecting biodiversity and ensuring safe passage for wildlife should be a top priority in all transportation planning and investment decisions.  

Please improve motorists’ safety by reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions while enhancing wildlife habitat connectivity across roadways. This expands current USDOT transportation programs to better protect drivers, strengthen our infrastructure, and reconnect natural ecosystems.  

Thank you for accepting comments for Advancing a Surface Transportation Proposal That Focuses on America’s Most Fundamental Infrastructure Needs, Docket No. DOT-OST-2025-0468.  

Sincerely,   

[First and Last Name]  

[City, State, Zip Code]