PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December x, 2024
A $9.3 million federal grant secured by the state of Maine could be key to reducing collisions along a specific stretch of road in Caribou long known to be the site of crashes and near-misses between cars and animals. In a 2003-2023 study of the area, a 2-mile stretch surrounding the culverts saw at least 127 collisions, with the majority taking place on Route 1. But such crashes are believed to be underreported. State officials hope the grant will not only reduce collisions but also help conserve a threatened species of trout that lives in Prestile Brook. “When you build a structure that’s big enough for a moose to go through it, there’s a lot of other species that benefit,” Justin Schlawin, program coordinator of the wildlife department’s Beginning with Habitat program, said.