Unintended encounters with cars and trucks are bad news for animals. Not only do creatures face dangers on existing roads, they’re often imperiled from the moment road construction begins. Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) assistant research scientist Jett McFalls talks about why protecting endangered snakes and toads is good for the creatures – and good for keeping road projects on schedule and on budget, too. To hear the whole episode and more like it visit the Thinking Transportation Podcast homepage or find it on your favorite streaming service
With TTI since 1990, Jett McFalls manages the Institute’s Sediment & Erosion Control Laboratory. He has served as principal or co-principal investigator for numerous transportation roadside environmental studies, including erosion and sediment control; right-of-way vegetation and establishment; pollinator establishment and maintenance; wildlife/vehicle interaction; and wetland delineation. His work includes projects working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, and various state departments of transportation. McFalls has also authored several roadside environmental training and certification courses for various state and federal agencies.
