Plans for a wildlife tunnel at the Laurel Curve in Santa Cruz County (on Highway 17), which would give animals a crossing under the accident-prone stretch of road, are progressing toward an expected construction date in 2020.
Through its San Francisco Bay Area Program, the Moore Foundation supported the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County's acquisition of land needed to build this crossing, which is critical for the wildlife corridor. Several animal species currently cross the dangerous Laurel Curve, including deer, foxes, bobcats, skunks, raccoons, pumas and others.
“Nearly half of animals killed on Highway 17 are hit at Laurel Curve, according to 2015 Caltrans data. It’s a high-traffic area for both cars, roughly 57,000 vehicles pass through each day, and for animals — the land is an important wildlife corridor linking the Loch Lomond watershed to the Forest of Nisene Marks state park.”
See more about the planned construction in The Mercury News, "Highway 17 wildlife tunnel plans underway, construction expected in 2020."
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