On a dim Saturday evening in late August, the Chaleur Lightning ice hockey squad had just finished an exhibition match against the Miramichi Timberwolves and boarded their team bus to return to Bathurst. Assistant coach Alex Ouellet recounted hearing the bus driver gasp shortly after their departure. “Within five minutes of driving,” Ouellet recalled, “I saw a figure ahead of us, followed by a sudden loud bang.”
The team bus had collided with a moose on the highway, but fortunately, all team members and coaches emerged unscathed, except for the driver who sustained minor scratches. This incident, reminiscent of many encounters New Brunswickers have had with large animals, left a lasting impression on Ouellet and the team.
Speaking of wildlife crossings, the province of New Brunswick employs various measures to deter moose from straying onto roadways, such as wildlife fencing and crossings. Transportation Minister Chuck Chiasson explained that the placement of such mitigation measures is determined based on collision data gathered by law enforcement to identify high-risk areas.
New Brunswick currently features wildlife fencing along both sides of 331 kilometers of highways to prevent animal incursions onto roadways. Despite the extensive fencing, the province has also constructed 82 wildlife crossings, including tunnels, to facilitate safe passage for animals. These tunnels, such as the newly installed ones on Route 8, are spacious structures that allow animals to navigate under highways without endangering motorists.
According to wildlife ecologist Graham Forbes, who conducted research on the impact of wildlife tunnels, various animals, not just moose, utilize these underpasses. Although the Department of Transportation has not observed a significant reduction in collisions due to the tunnels, safety remains a top priority, with efforts focused on implementing mitigation measures to enhance road safety.
Looking ahead, Ouellet expressed hope for additional fencing in the area but acknowledged the challenges of entirely preventing collisions with wildlife. Despite the risks, he emphasized the importance of implementing preventive strategies to mitigate such incidents on highways.