With more people stuck in traffic, isn’t the simple solution to build more roads? 

Building more roads does not reduce traffic congestion.  When you build more, people simply drive their cars more.  According to a U.S. Department of Transportation, over two-thirds of the growth in driving includes the same people driving farther, as well as a decrease in carpooling and a switch from biking, walking, or mass transit.

Doesn’t it make sense for a fast-growing city to build roads?  How can building more roads increase congestion?

In the last decade, cities that added the most road space experienced about the same increase in rush-hour congestion as those that added the least road capacity. Travel delay is actually higher in cities that built the most roads. In the long run, it encourages additional development nearby, which leads to even more traffic.

Is hitting animals really a problem?  Isn’t it just something that is bound to happen if we’re going to drive our cars?

More than one million animals are killed on our highways every day.  In fact, road kill is the number one way that humans kill wildlife in our country, and it has pushed some rare species -- such as the panther and grizzly bear -- closer to extinction. We can reduce our impact on wildlife by safe crossings and avoiding building any new roads in our remaining natural areas.

What can I do to help cut down on roadkill?

Send a Letter to Your State Department of Transportation (DOT)
encouraging them to incorporate wildlife conservation into transportation planning. Click here to find a sample letter. 

Where do I find contact info for my state DOT?

You can go to our interactive map to locate contact information for your state.

What can I do to cut down on my chances of hitting wildlife?
Heed wildlife crossing signs.  Drive with increased awareness and caution when traveling in wildlife areas.  Limit driving at night.  Between dusk and dawn a driver’s visibility is lowest and wildlife traffic is highest.  Reduce your speed in wildlife areas.