Vehicle collisions with wildlife are not unusual on Sierra foothill roads. And one Nevada County highway appears to be especially dangerous. A study released by UC Davis says Highway 174 is the 5th worst state highway in California, with 75 accidents over 11 miles in 2015 and 2016. The report says that costs over $216,000 per mile in cleanup and maintenance. Cal Trans spokesperson Liza Whitmore says the expense can escalate easily…

click to listen to Liza Whitmore

The study’s authors say the risk is greatest where there are more drivers going fast through or near wildlife habitat, such as the Bay Area, the Sierra foothills, and the hills surrounding the Los Angeles Basin. Whitmore could not speculate why Highway 174 ranked so poorly…

click to listen to Liza Whitmore

Most of the highways making the worst 10 are in the Bay Area, or 6. But the Sacramento region had two spots in the Top 10. In addition to Highway 174, Highway 50 ranked 10th, with 245 collisions over 54 miles. Interstate 280 in the Bay Area had the number 1 spot, with Highway 101 in Marin County ranking 2nd, followed by State Route 13 from Oakland to Berkeley at number 3, and State Route 24 in Alameda and Contra Costa counties ranking 4th worst. Only 2 Southern California highways made the Top 10.