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A Publication Featuring The Information
Services Technology of Maine State Government
 Volume VI, Issue 8 |
August 2003 |
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One of the most wonderful aspects of living in Maine is the opportunity to enjoy the abundant wildlife that roams here. I remember so clearly the day that I saw my first moose as a little girl, and marveled at his massive antlers. He faced our vehicle with a total lack of fear. As my parents and siblings watched with me, he eventually wandered into the forest near the road to be free of the disruption of gawking humans and noisy vehicles. At the time, I was too young to understand the danger of vehicle collisions with moose. From 1999–2001, Maine vehicle crashes involving animals totaled 14,940 with 14% of them involving moose. Annually, there will be an average of about 700 moose-vehicle collisions in Maine and they may happen in any setting, on any type of road, or in any county. About 150 of these moose related crashes will result in human injury and 2 or 3 of them will result in fatalities – although 2003 has seen four fatalities already. While moose crashes were only 14% of the total number of crashes from 1999-2001, their economic impact was nearly 50% of the total economic impact ($101,042,000) experienced from animal related crashes in Maine for the same period. |
The Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) has investigated several different methods of preventing large animal crashes such as: lighted signs, olfactory repellents, reflectors that increase light from vehicle highlights and improve sight distance, and fences to limit animal access to high speed highways. Driver awareness has been raised through press releases, public education announcements, and driver education courses, including a component on the avoidance of large animal collisions.
A new technology is now being considered that attacks the problem of collisions with large animals from a different direction. The Large Animal Warning System (LAWS) uses photoelectric beams to detect the presence of a large animal on the side of the roadway and activates a flashing beacon atop a sign to warn drivers of their presence.
LAWS uses a solar powered transmitter to project two photoelectric beams to a receiver mounted on a pole about 50 feet from the roadway. An animal must be at least 3 feet tall to break both photoelectric beams and activate a device that turns on a flashing beacon for a full minute after the beam is broken. The beacon would warn approaching drivers of a large animal near the roadway. It is possible to criss-cross transmitters and receivers so that animals grazing along the roadway (such as moose looking for salt) will activate the LAWS device multiple times. The state of Minnesota has been using LAWS technology for the past two years with promising results. Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri are also considering implementation of LAWS.
One of the primary drawbacks to the LAWS is cost. An unlimited license for LAWS would cost the state of Maine about $4.2M and the equipment cost is estimated at $50,000 per mile. The evaluation of LAWS benefits versus the cost of implementation and maintenance will be conducted by staff from Maine DOT’s Office of Environmental Services and Safety Management Division, and the Departments of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and Public Safety.
Questions? Contact the author by e-mailing colleen.gesualdo@maine.gov.
Editor's Note: Ironically, as this issue was in production, I nearly ran into a cow moose while bicycling on a narrow dirt road which parallels the Sunday River. I don’t remember the last time I was so scared. As she charged out of the forest I screamed, which caused her to momentarily stop. That gave me enough time to bike past her – at a distance of 5‘-10’. (I was flabbergasted at how big, brown and soft-looking her nose was.) My companions said the moose pursued me for 4-5 strides, and we thought a baby might be nearby. My Maine DOT contact did not know if there have been a significant number of moose-bicycle collisions, but I am certain the moose will triumph because of its size, and the biker immediately dying of fright! Mary N. Cloutier, Editor |
