Roadkill will have to stay on Illinois roads

State money was drained on ice, snow removal; vultures left to clean up

Video: Strange news

Slap-happy dolphin jumps into boat
Oct. 10: A group riding in their boat got an uninvited guest when a dolphin jumped onto the deck and began slapping them with it's fins and body. WESH's Claire Metz reports.

Michigan mom mistaken for Palin

Divorce divides up the whole house

'SNL' spoofs second debate

Putin receives a baby tiger for birthday

Wild turkey sets up roost at Harvard

Sweetening the credit crunch

updated 9:07 p.m. ET May 30, 2008

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The view along Illinois highways this summer should be beautiful — for the turkey vultures.

The state's transportation department says it won't be picking up as much roadkill left along roads because it spent too much of its budget during the winter.

IDOT said it spent more than twice the allotted $40 million on clearing ice and snow removal because of rising fuel costs and harsh weather last winter.

Story continues below ↓

Dead animals in driving lanes and any deemed hazardous to motorists will be removed. But much of the rest will be left for scavengers.

Kevin Gillespie of the Jackson County Health Department said the roadkill might be smelly and gruesome, but it shouldn't lead to any health risks.

The department does not log the amount of roadkill it clears.