Fort Providence (Sep 10/04) - Two vehicles have already collided with bison on the highway near Fort Providence and the Department of Transportation wants to prevent similar accidents.

To that end, the department has again placed an electronic warning sign at the Mackenzie River ferry crossing. Other conventional signs have gone up as well.

Bison like this one regularly cross the highway near Fort Providence to feed on roadside grasses. - Derek Neary/NNSL photo

Bob Kelly, the department's communications manager, said late August to November, when daylight is decreasing and there's no snow for contrast, is when collisions often occur. The most recent statistics, for 2002, show that 14 bison/vehicle accidents occurred on Highway 3 alone.

High risk areas also exist along the Liard Trail and along Highway 5 to Fort Smith.

Although high-speed impacts with the enormous animals have caused extensive damage to vehicles and sometimes killed bison, there have been no human fatalities yet, according to Kelly.

Bigger range

The herds seem to have expanded their habitat in parallel with the reconstruction of Highway 3, Kelly noted.

"The right-of-way has been enlarged with some grassy areas, and the bison seem to like that," he said. "Perhaps they like the idea of being out there where they can see predators."

Kelly noted that transport and the department of wildlife formed a committee more than a year ago to study ways to deter bison from grazing at roadside. There was no immediate solution.

"One of the things we've concluded at this point is probably that it's more productive to try to influence the drivers' behaviour than the bisons,'" he said.

However, the possibility of altering vegetation at roadside is still being examined, he added.

Cpl. Rob Harkin, of the Fort Providence RCMP detachment, said it's vital for motorists to slow down at night.

"That's when it's most dangerous. You don't see them until you're on top of them," Harkin said, noting that both collisions to date took place while it was dark.