Animal crossings are becoming more common throughout California to decrease road kills and increase genetic diversity among wildlife living near freeways.
A first of its kind wildlife crossing in Northern California has been proposed over Highway 101 in San Benito County — the latest project in the state’s efforts to provide safe passage for mountain lions and other animals over dangerous roadways.has been raised to fund the overpass at 2,600-acre Rock’s Ranch, the nonprofit Land Trust of Santa Cruz County announced earlier this year.
Development of the Bay Area is isolating the Santa Cruz Mountains, with a southern portion of the area divided by the highway, according to Morgan Robertson, the acting chief of Biology and Environmental Engineering for Caltrans District 5.Animals do cross roadways using existing infrastructure, she said, but some species need sturdier and larger structures to pass safely., about 150 areas in the state were identified as wildlife barriers. Most of these locations were near state highways.
The northern end of the Rocks Ranch area, which runs alongside a 2.5-mile stretch of the highway, was identified asThe Rocks Ranch overpass, which would allow animals to avoid the four lanes of speeding traffic, is in the initial stages, according to Robertson. Caltrans will complete a feasibility study by the end of the year, and is considering both under crossings and overpasses along the corridor. Construction is expected to start in 2029, she said.
“We didn’t really know what we were doing then,” Newkirk said. “Every step was effectively a leap of faith by the land trust and our partners. But now we know how to work with those agencies, and they’re excited to work with us.”This is the first time a GPS-collared mountain lion has crossed the freeway near the Santa Monica Mountains during the course of a 17-year study.
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