While roadways are a connecting force for humans, ecologists have warned that they have shifted the behavior of animals, sparking a conversation about how our infrastructure choices impact the natural world.
What's happening?
In July, after reading environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb's new book "Crossings," The Conversation examined how the 40 million miles of roads on Earth are impacting the planet.
According to the International Energy Agency, the world will need to add more than 15 million miles of roads by 2050 to meet demand. However, as The Conversation noted, Goldfarb's commentary reveals how devastating that could be to our ecosystems.
Vehicle collisions, deforestation, and noise pollution are among the effects that ecologists say have created a "landscape of fear," according to the report, with one study finding that 15-20% of the United States is ecologically impacted by roads.
Other analysis cited by The Conversation found that birds like robins, wrens, and tits have changed the frequency of their calls to be heard above car noise, and the extra energy expended trying to listen for predators has led to starvation after some birds became too tired to forage.
Why is this important?
According to the World Wildlife Fund, whereas past mass extinction events occurred because of natural phenomena, the ongoing sixth mass extinction is directly connected to unsustainable land, water, and energy management.
Biodiversity is part of what keeps nature operating smoothly, and when human activities disrupt that, it can have a ripple effect that leads to problems like food insecurity and the reduced availability of substances used in modern medicine.
In addition to negatively impacting animals, roadway systems are associated with health complications, as The Conversation highlighted in its "Crossings" review.
The publication noted how one predominantly Black and Latino neighborhood in the Bronx surrounded by three expressways experienced asthma-related deaths at a rate three times higher than the national average. Meanwhile, a French study suggested that noise pollution from roads shortened the lifespans of some Parisians by as much as three years.
What can be done about problematic roadways?
With more knowledge comes the ability to develop solutions that benefit our communities and the creatures we share the planet with, including investment in infrastructure that encourages less polluting modes of transportation like high-speed rail, biking, and walking.
And while many parts of the United States are still heavily dependent on roadways, the U.S. Forest Service has started to remove some of the 370,000 miles of roads on the land it's responsible for, as The Conversation added.
Meanwhile, some urban planners are designing roadways that limit human-animal interactions — or protect pedestrians and wildlife by ensuring drivers have to slow down to navigate safely.
For example, Canada's Banff National Park has created wildlife crossings that have led to a more than 80% reduction in large mammal-vehicle collisions, per Think Wildlife Foundation. "Crossings" also highlights the SP-139 highway in Brazil's Carlos Botelho State Park, which has winding roads that require reduced speeds, according to The Conversation.
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