Nevada Department of Transportation’s Wildlife Crossing and Tortoise Turnaround System project delivered a simple, cost-effective solution that improves roadway safety while reconnecting critical desert tortoise habitat. The $1.72 million initiative addressed a longstanding safety and environmental challenge along U.S. 95 by guiding tortoises safely beneath the highway rather than across it.

For years, tortoises entered the roadway within designated Mojave Desert tortoise critical habitat, resulting in vehicle collisions that threatened both the protected species and motorists. While exclusion fencing helped keep tortoises off the road, it also fragmented habitat and limited the movement necessary for the species’ survival. Traditional tortoise guards installed at fence openings were costly to maintain and prone to failure, creating ongoing operational challenges.

To address these issues, NDOT repurposed existing culverts as wildlife crossings and paired them with fencing and turnaround features that guide tortoises safely through the corridor. This innovative approach reduces the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions, restores habitat connectivity that had been disrupted for decades, and significantly lowers long-term maintenance requirements.

The project delivers benefits for both wildlife and the traveling public. Drivers experience improved safety along a key rural highway, while maintenance crews benefit from a simpler, more reliable, and lower-cost system. By balancing transportation needs with environmental stewardship, the project provides a sustainable, long-term solution that enhances safety, mobility, and ecosystem connectivity.