Land purchase is fully funded for Highway 17 wildlife tunnel

UPDATE 12/2/16 12:20 PM:

Plans to build a tunnel where wildlife can safely cross below Highway 17 at Laurel Curve have taken another step forward.

The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County announced Friday that it has raised the funds it needs to purchase land on both sides of Highway 17.

Two years ago, the Land Trust purchased 290 acres of land on the east of Laurel Curve. On Friday, it announced a $200,000 grant from the Coastal Conservancy will allow for the purchase of 170 acres west of the highway.

The total cost of buying the land is $1.625 million. Additional funding came from the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Natural Resources Agency, and donors to the Land Trust’s Great Land & Trail Campaign.

When the tunnel was first proposed, the project’s director said Laurel Curve was the best location.

“Roadkill data tells us that almost half the animals hit on Highway 17 are hit at Laurel Curve,” said Dan Medeiros, project director.

Last month, the California Transportation Commission approved $3.1 million for design and engineering of the tunnel. Measure D, which passed in November, will contribute an additional $5 million.

Medeiros said purchase of property will be completed by mid-February 2017 and the design and engineering by 2019. He expects construction to be completed in 2020.

Purchasing the land to create a conservation easement is a big part of the puzzle, but Stephen Slade, executive director of the Land Trust, said they are more than $2 million away from their $6.5 million goal to protect wildlands and build the tunnel.

PREVIOUS STORY: Santa Cruz County is one step closer to building a wildlife tunnel where animals can cross below Highway 17 instead of trying to go over it.

The California Transportation Commission Thursday approved $3.1 million to fund designs for the project, which would be built near the summit, under Laurel Curve. According to Caltrans, in the past eight years, 350 animals have been killed while trying to cross the highway. Researchers say 45 percent of the wildlife hit in the Santa Cruz Mountains were struck on Laurel Curve.

“They’re crossing over to get to their food. They’re crossing over for mating purposes, especially mountain lions. Mountain lions have enormous ranges,” said Stephen Slade, executive director of Land Trust of Santa Cruz County.

It’s not just about animal safety. The Western Transportation Institute said 200 Americans are killed in accidents involving wildlife and cars.

Wildlife photographer, Steve Mandel lived to tell his story. He was driving near the summit when a mountain lion crossed in front of his car.

“My initial emotion was shock, and then I was very upset because this is an animal that I’ve studied,” said Mandel. “The only thing I could do was hold the steering wheel steady because on the left side of me was the cement center divide, and on the right side was the other car and I had to hit the mountain lion.”

Officials with Land Trust say the wildlife tunnel could be built by 2020 and that construction shouldn’t affect drivers commute.