More traffic calming measures coming to Elk Island National Park to protect wildlife

Motorists speeding through Elk Island National Park has prompted Parks Canada to adding more traffic calming speed bumps and installing additional signage.

Dale Kirkland, superintendent of Elk Island National Park, told CBC's Edmonton AM that drivers are contributing to the unnecessary deaths of wildlife, including a male plains bison that was struck and killed last month. 

Six bison have been killed by vehicles since 2020, with the latest death on Aug. 10. 

"There continues to be motorists speeding throughout Elk Island," Kirkland said. 

"This includes considerable speeding during the evening hours."

Elk Island National Park is about 50 kilometres east of Edmonton.

This summer Elk Island launched an initiative called the Wildlife and Roads Project, which monitored road-related mortalities in and around the park. 

The project looked at all vertebrate species to better understand mortality patterns, said Kirkland. 

The project began in June and has since recorded 534 wildlife deaths including frogs, salamanders, squirrels, fish, rabbit and coyotes. 

"A third of those species are at risk as well," said Kirkland. 

He said the park has five digital speed feedback signs and the administration was able to download data from them. 

One motorist was clocked travelling more than 100 km/h over the posted 40km/h speed limit, he said. 

Apart from speed bumps, the park is looking at constructing ecopassages, specialized wildlife tunnels that allow animals to safely cross roads.

Parks Canada is reminding visitors to give wildlife the space they need, to obey all posted signs, to not stop if they see a bear, and to stay in their vehicles if they see a bison. 

"Protecting wildlife is a shared responsibility and we all have a role to play," Kirkland said. "Simply put, speeding kills wildlife."