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Bay Area Highways Worst In State For Animal Collisions

DAVIS (CBS/AP) -- If you are a commuter, Southern California freeways are your nightmare. If you happen to be a deer or coyote, the highways of Northern California, and in particular the San Francisco Bay Area, are a lot worse.

A study released Thursday by the University of California, Davis identified the state highways that are the worst for collisions and near-misses with animals. Most are on the north end of the state. Only two are in the south.

Interstate 280 in the Bay Area is the most troublesome, based on the cost-per-mile of animal issues. It had 386 collisions reported in 2016 that cost nearly $875,000 in cleanup and maintenance.

U.S. Highway 101 north of San Francisco is second. State Highway 2 provides the biggest problems in Southern California.

The study, based on reports to the California Highway Patrol, recommends more fencing in the worst spots, saying it would quickly pay for itself in money saved from collisions.

University of California, Davis list of California's worst highways for run-ins between vehicles and animals, ranked according to cost-per-mile of dealing with the collisions:

1. Interstate 280 in the San Francisco Bay Area: 386 collisions over 23 miles. Cost per mile: $874,520.

2. U.S. Highway 101 in Marin County: 225 collisions over 28 miles. Cost per mile: $525,009.

3. State Route 13 from Oakland to Berkeley: 81 collisions over 6.5 miles. Cost per mile: $307,218.

4. State Route 24 in Alameda and Contra Costa counties: 114 collisions over 11 miles. Cost per mile: $233,567.

5. State Route 174 in Nevada County: 75 collisions over 11 miles. Cost per mile: $216,521.

6. Interstate 680 in the San Francisco Bay Area: 221 collisions over 72 miles. Cost per mile: $193,762.

7. State Route 9 from Santa Cruz to Los Gatos: 119 collisions over 20 miles. Cost per mile: $151,995.

8. State Route 2 in the Los Angeles area: 33 collisions over 6 miles. Cost per mile: $144,731.

9. U.S. Highway 101 in the Los Angeles area: 13 collisions over 26 miles. Cost per mile: $137,735.

10. U.S. Highway 50 in El Dorado County: 245 collisions over 54 miles. Cost per mile: $118,692.

© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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