The state’s first fence designed to reduce deer-vehicle
collisions is almost finished, Nebraska Department of Roads
officials said.

ElectroBraid Fence Co. is putting the finishing touches on the
fence which lines a four-mile stretch of Interstate 80 between
the Mahoney State Park interchange and Pflug Road.

Between May and November last year, the state recorded five
accidents in that stretch but found 38 deer carcasses, an
indication that more deer are being hit than are being reported to
authorities.

Brian Johnson, a roadway design engineer, said he hopes the
fence – with its psychological (shock) and physical barriers –
will reduce deer-vehicle collisions. He said such fences have been
successful in other states.

The 8-foot-high fence is finished, but workers have to hook up
electrified portions and set up an automatic call system in case of
a power outage, Department of Roads construction engineer Marvin
Lech said Friday.

The project done in consultation with the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission includes a 3-mile section of electric fence on the
east side of the interstate in Sarpy County. Fencing on the west
side of the river will not be electrified because the area has more
homes.

Construction began in May, said Sandra Tsvid, a Roads Department
engineer, and high water on the Platte River this spring and
summer did not cause delays. Total cost of the project is $1.1
million.

The goal is to direct deer away from traffic using tunnels built
when the interstate was expanded to six lanes.

“I hope it will be effective. We will have to see. This is
experimental,” Tsvid said.

Accident rates between 1998 and 2003 showed 2.6 deer hits per
mile per year on the east side of the river and 4.2 hits per mile
per year on the west side, Johnson said.

Overall, Nebraska ranks 11th in deer-vehicle collisions,
dropping one position from a year ago, according to State Farm
Insurance. West Virginia topped the latest list.

Based on its claims data, the insurance company estimated that
Nebraska had 12,283 deer-vehicle collisions between July 1, 2010,
and

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