ST. LOUIS – A sure sign of fall: deer are on the move, and they are everywhere. The Missouri Department of Transportation remains busy assessing clean up when one gets struck on the roads and highways.
“This time of the year, we’ll run two sometimes three times a week just to get them. There’s so many of them out there,” Bob Becker, MoDOT district maintenance engineer, said.
MoDOT crews are scanning the streets to address the growing number of dead deer on the side of the road. Their route increases October and November as more deer are on the move.
“If it’s in the roadway, it’s a priority for us. If it’s a safety issue, we’ll get out and get them right away,” Becker said. “But if it’s on the shoulder somewhere, not impeding traffic in any way, we’ll get them during normal business hours, typically a couple times a week.”
Mizzou student arrested for alleged sexual misconduct in residential hall
In 2023, MoDOT responded to 3,600 incidents involving deer-related crashes for the entire state. This year, in the St. Louis district alone, more than 1,000 calls have been made already.