Bridget M. Donaldson
Associate Principal Research Scientist
Research Interests:
- Wildlife and roadway interactions and mitigation
- Water-quality assessment
- Culvert repair technologies
- Composting animal mortality
- Climate change and structure design
- Threatened and endangered species
- Wildlife-vehicle collision data and hot spot analysis
-
Roadside vegetation establishment
Education:
- M.S., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee
- B.S., Ecological and Organismic Biology, University of Colorado
Memberships and National Research Projects:
- Transportation Research Board (TRB) Standing Committee on Roadside Landscape and Environmental Design, Operations and Maintenance -- AKL18
- Virginia Safe Wildlife Corridors Collaborative
- NCHRP Panel (10-126): Field-Cured Products and Water Quality: A Framework for Screening and Risk Mitigation
- Transportation Pooled Fund study TPF-5(339): Contaminant Release from Storm Water Culvert Rehabilitation Technologies: Understanding Implications to the Environment and Long-Term Material Integrity
- NCHRP Panel (Project 25-25, Task 113): Highway Passages for Small Terrestrial Wildlife
- NCHRP Panel (Project 25-25, Task 117): Valuing Wildlife Crossings and Enhancements for Mitigation Credits
Awards:
- VTRC Wallace T. McKeel Award, 2024
-
AASHTO High Value Research Project - Sweet 16 award winner, 2021
-
VTRC Jack H. Dillard Award for Best Paper, 2015
- VTRC Tilton E. Shelburne Award for National Leadership, 2015
- VCTIR Jack H, Dillard Best Paper Award, 2013
-
VDOT Commissioner's Award for Outstanding Achievement, 2010
-
VCTIR Horizon Award for Outstanding Productivity and Achievement, 2006
-
Herpetologist League Award for Best Paper in Graduate Research, 2001
-
Science Alliance Award for Excellence in Research and Teaching, University of Tennessee, 2001
Current Projects
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Identifying Road Segments that Bisect Predicted Movement Corridors for Small Priority Species in Virginia
Project No: 125843 -
Developing a Framework for Large Animal-Vehicle Crash Risk: A Safe System Approach to Cost-Effective Safety Improvements
Project No: 126770 -
The Effect of In-stream Construction Activities on Turbidity and Suspended Sediment
Project No: 122843 -
The Influence of Erosion Control Products on Vegetation Establishment
Project No: 124532
Reports
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Highway Runoff in Areas of Karst Topography
Report No: 04-R13 -
The Use of Highway Underpasses by Large Mammals in Virginia and Factors Influencing Their Effectiveness
Report No: 06-R2 -
Range-wide Assessment of Habitat Suitability for Roanoke Logperch (Percina Rex)
Report No: 07-CR8 -
A Toolkit of Measures for Reducing Animal-Vehicle Collisions
Report No: 07-R13 -
Use of a GIS-based Model of Habitat Cores and Landscape Corridors for the Virginia Department of Transportation's Project Planning and Environmental Scoping
Report No: 07-R14 -
Installation of Warm Mix Asphalt Projects in Virginia
Report No: 07-R25 -
Testing an Integrated PDA-GPS System to Collect Standardized Animal Carcass Removal Data on Virginia Roadways
Report No: 08-CR10 -
Understanding the Environmental Implications of Cured-in-place Pipe Rehabilitation Technology
Report No: 08-R16 -
An Evaluation of the U.S. Highway 17 Underpass in Chesapeake, Virginia, as a Wildlife Crossing
Report No: 10-R10 -
An Assessment of the Animal Carcass Disposal Practices of the Virginia Department of Transportation and Guidance for the Selection of Alternative Carcass Management Options
Report No: 10-R7 -
Composting Animal Carcasses Removed from Roads: An Analysis of Pathogen Destruction and Leachate Constituents in Deer Mortality Static Windrow Composting
Report No: 12-R12 -
Water Quality Implications of Culvert Repair Options: Vinyl Ester Based and Ultraviolet Cured-in-Place Pipe Liners
Report No: 13-R2 -
Water Quality Implications of Culvert Repair Options: Cementitious and Polyurea Spray-on Liners
Report No: 13-R3 -
Composting Animal Mortality Removed from Roads: A Pilot Study of Rotary Drum and Forced Aeration Compost Vessels
Report No: 13-R8 -
Preliminary Assessment of Procedures for Coating Steel Components on Virginia Bridges
Report No: 14-R1 -
An Evaluation of the Economics and Logistics of Animal Mortality Composting for The Virginia Department of Transportation
Report No: 15-R17 -
Determining Animal Mortality Compost Maturity and Suitability for Road Project Applications for the Virginia Department of Transportation
Report No: 15-R21 -
An Evaluation of Roadside Activity and Behavior of Deer and Black Bear to Determine Mitigation Strategies for Animal-Vehicle Collisions
Report No: 16-R4 -
Improving Animal-Vehicle Collision Data for the Strategic Application of Mitigation
Report No: 18-R16 -
Effectiveness of Seasonal Deer Advisories on Changeable Message Signs as a Deer Crash Reduction Tool
Report No: 19-R8 -
Development of a Test Method for Evaluating Staining on Structures as an Indicator of Bat Presence
Report No: 20-R18 -
Enhancing Existing Isolated Underpasses With Fencing to Decrease Wildlife Crashes and Increase Habitat Connectivity
Report No: 20-R28 -
An Evaluation of Wildlife Crossing Design, Placement, Costs, and Funding Opportunities for Corridor Q
Report No: 24-R8
Team Membership
Last updated: August 2, 2025
