Friday Transportation Seminars at Portland State University have been a tradition since 2000. We've opened up PSU Transportation Seminars to other days of the week, but the format is the same: Feel free to bring your lunch! If you can't join us in person, you can always watch online via Zoom: Register Here.
Content Warning: This seminar will include pictures of roadkill. Sensitive viewers may prefer to disengage during those slides.
THE TOPIC
Transportation infrastructure is critical for our communities and economies, but the roadways we depend on for travel have significant negative impacts on wildlife populations. Roadkill is the most visible consequence, with tens of millions of animals injured or killed on Oregon’s roadways each year. Beyond direct mortality, transportation corridors fragment habitat and can alter wildlife behavior, creating barriers that disrupt wildlife movement and access to critical resources, contributing to population declines.
Despite these challenges, opportunities exist for mitigation, including the use of wildlife crossing structures, autonomous animal detection systems, and smarter project siting. This talk will explore the multifaceted challenges transportation infrastructure poses to wildlife populations and highlight successful mitigation strategies. By better integrating ecological principles into transportation planning, we can develop infrastructure that supports both human mobility and wildlife conservation goals.
KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES
The audience will:
- Develop an understanding of why wild animals need to cross roadways;
- Better understand the impacts of transportation infrastructure on wildlife;
- Learn how infrastructure planning and design can better account for the needs of wildlife species.
SPEAKERS
Rachel Wheat, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife
Dr. Rachel Wheat is a spatial ecologist who serves as the Wildlife Connectivity Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Dr. Wheat works statewide to assess wildlife habitat connectivity and coordinate efforts statewide to enhance, protect, and restore habitat critical for facilitating wildlife movement. She is based out of ODFW’s headquarters in Salem, Oregon.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
This 60-minute seminar is eligible for 1 hour of professional development credit for AICP (see our provider summary). We can provide an electronic attendance certificate for other types of certification maintenance.
Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research. To get updates about what's happening at TREC, sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us on social media.