$1.6 mil. tunnel being built for wildlife in El Dorado County
By Tony Bizjak, Sacramento Bee
On a wooded and wildlife-rich stretch of Highway 50 in the foothills, Caltrans is about to launch an unusual road safety experiment – for critters and drivers alike.
The agency is building the Sacramento region’s first deer and large-animal road crossing, a $1.6 million tunnel and fence project, in hopes of reducing the amount of roadkill in the Highway 50 corridor.
Even as they put finishing touches on the tunnel east of Shingle Springs near the El Dorado Road exit, state Department of Transportation biologists acknowledge they can’t be sure how well it will work.
Will deer, coyotes, foxes, bobcats and mountain lions find their way to the 12-foot-by-12-foot concrete culvert? And will they choose to use it, or continue along the fence looking for an opening to make a dangerous dash across the four lanes above?
“No one location is going to solve the problem,” said Suzanne Melim, Caltrans biologist on the project. “I think it’ll work well.
“I look at this as a starting point in what will be a continual effort.”
The Highway 50 undercrossing is funded by a federal grant. But state officials acknowledge that spending money on an animal crossing when California faces a massive deficit could raise questions.
There is no accountability anymore, especially in Cali.
Would prefer to see wildlife corridors planned BEFORE development occurred, but good to see an effort toward that end.
I hope they’ll put up enough signs so the animals will know where the tunnel is – and how to use it. Although I’m no expert, I do know that most animals don’t like being confined in the same space as their enemies. Idiots!
Susan, these structures have been both successful and unsuccessful. But before you come off with a really strong opinion about something, why dont you spend a moment with Google and at least get some idea of what you are talking about.
Caltrans has already incorporated such crossings/tunnels on I-80 east of Truckee 10 years ago. The deer definitely use the crossings.
Cali has a 16 Billion dollar short fall and we spend money on this?
At least the fanatics didn’t sue to close the highway.
I bet they cause the mother of all traffic jams when construction starts.
sunrise2…saw this on the way Sac airport to Scandinavia and it wasn’t bad.Reread the words?
“they put finishing touches on the tunnel east of Shingle Springs near the El Dorado Road exit”