Highway 17 wildlife crossing plans almost complete

UPDATE: 05/02/18 6:20PM The planning stage of the wildlife crossing on highway 17 is almost complete. The construction is expected to be done sometime in 2020.

The Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Committee is partnering with the Santa Cruz Land Trust to make this crossing happen. Executive director of the Land Trust, Stephen Slade, says with the trees and brush on highway 17, “this is their (animal’s) comfort zone, and this (Highway 17) is like the Berlin Wall in the middle of the county and we’re going to find a way under it.”

The crossing “will be a hundred foot wide span bridge under this road. It will not seem any different from the drivers perspective,” says Slade.

Slade says “right now we know that 45% of the wildlife hit and killed on 17 are hit and killed here (Laurel Curve). They are already trying to cross here. It’s a natural drainage. So we have deer, we have bobcats, we have foxes, badgers just every animal you can think of is hit here. And of course that’s a trauma for the motorist.”

The goal is to make the area safer for drivers and animals. Slade says “caltrans definitely views this as a highway safety project as well as a wildlife project and anyone that’s ever hit or seen a car hit by a deer knows it can cause a serious fatal accident.”

That is a big reason why the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission is helping fund the projuct with Measure D. Shannon Munz with the SCCRTC says, “currently there are weekly collisions involving wildlife on highway 17, it can be dangerous with wildlife crossing. I personally have hit a deer on 17 and it was a very scary experience and one that we don’t want other drivers to experience. I mean that could be very hazardous and that is why we thought this was an important project to be a part of.”

The crossing is expected to cost close to $15 million. $5 million will come from Measure D, the rest will come from Santa Cruz County Land Trust and donations.

There is a meeting being held Wednesday night at 6p.m. at the Scotts Valley Senior Center for more information on the project.

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The planning stage of the wildlife crossing on highway 17 is almost complete. The construction is expected to be done sometime in 2020.

The Santa Cruz Regional Transportation Committee is partnering with the Santa Cruz Land Trust to make this crossing happen.

It will be a 100 foot wide bridge that spans all four lanes under highway 17 at Laurel Curve.

Stephen Slade, the Executive Director of the Land Trust Santa Cruz County said “Right now we know that 45% of the wildlife hit and killed on 17 are hit and killed here (Laurel Curve). They are already trying to cross here. It’s a natural drainage. So we have deer, we have bobcats, we have foxes, badgers just every animal you can think of is hit here. And of course that’s a trauma for the motorist.”

The goal is to make the area safer for drivers and animals.

The crossing is expected to cost close to $15 million. It is being funded by Measure D, the Land Trust and donations.

There is a meeting being held tonight at 6p.m. at the Scotts Valley Senior Center for more information on the project.

KION’s Ashley Keehn will have the full story tonight at 5 and 6 p.m.