Highway 17 Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Project Wildlife Habitat - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Highway 17 Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Project Wildlife Habitat - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Jul 13, 2023 135 likes •319 views

Highway 17 Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Project Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Project Promoting Habitat Connectivity in Santa Cruz County Photo: Paul Zarestsky Nancy R. Siepel and Morgan A. Robertson Nancy R. Siepel and Morgan A. Robertson

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Highway 17 Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Project Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Project

Promoting Habitat Connectivity in Santa Cruz County

Nancy R. Siepel and Morgan A. Robertson

Photo: Paul Zarestsky

Nancy R. Siepel and Morgan A. Robertson Project Public Information Meeting May 2, 2018

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Wildlife Undercrossing Location

Santa Cruz County

Highway 17

At Laurel Road Postmile 9.5 a.k.a Laurel Curve

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Project Need

High traffic volumes (61,500 vehicles per day) C t di b i

Concrete median barriers

Inadequate culvert or bridge under crossings that provide safe passage for wildlife that provide safe passage for wildlife Creating a barrier for mountain lions and other wildlife

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Underneath the Highway Laurel Curve Laurel Curve

Photo:

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A Collaborative Partnership

  • Land Trust of Santa Cruz County
  • California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
  • Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission
  • Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission
  • California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)
  • Pathways for Wildlife
  • U.C. Santa Cruz Puma Study
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Project Funding

Land Acquisition:

  • Land Trust of Santa Cruz County purchased 463 acres through fee title or

Land Trust of Santa Cruz County purchased 463 acres through fee title or conservation easements--- protecting wildlife habitat on both sides of Highway 17 at Laurel Curve.

Project Development:

  • Caltrans -- $3.11 million from the 2016 SHOPP 240 Advanced Mitigation Program

g g to complete the environmental document and design phase of the project.

Construction Cost -- over $5 million: Construction Cost

  • ver $5 million:
  • Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission -- $5 million for

construction through the 2016 Santa Cruz County Tax Measure D.

  • Land Trust of Santa Cruz County --- Raising additional funds for construction.
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Methods for Identifying the Location to Improve Connectivity

The following data was used to identified a location where a new wildlife crossing would provide the greatest benefit for improving wildlife connectivity between protected open space and core h bit t habitat areas:

  • Modeling
  • Roadkill data: Caltrans and Pathways for Wildlife
  • Camera monitoring data: Pathways for Wildlife
  • GPS telemetry data: U.C. Santa Cruz Puma Study
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Regional Linkage Map Critical Linkages: Bay Area and Beyond

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Animal-Vehicle Collision Data Laurel Curve

Colored dots show the different animals that have been hit on animals that have been hit on the highway.

Laurel Curve is an AVC hot spot p where animals are hit on a consistent basis.

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Laurel Curve Camera Data

Green dots = Camera stations from Soquel Creek to Hwy 17.

There have been several treks by individual mountain lion (s) towards Hwy 17 at Laurel Rd.

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Other Wildlife Species Captured on Camera

C Bobcat Coyote Gray Fox Gray Fox Buck Doe with Fawn

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Laurel Curve Study Area GPS Telemetry Data GPS Telemetry Data

The majority of crossings in Santa j y g Cruz County are at Laurel Curve

Colored lines show pathways mountain lions used to cross Hwy 17 mountain lions used to cross Hwy 17

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Summary: Laurel Curve Data

Data overlays include: y

Roadkill Data C D t

Camera Data

UCSC Puma Project Telemetry Data y

Conservation Easements

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Laurel Curve Wildlife Undercrossing

Preliminary Design: Span Bridge 16’ x 12’ that is 60 feet in length with natural bottom

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Similar Wildlife Undercrossing

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Escape Ramps & Wildlife Guards

Example of an escape ramp design

Example of a wildlife guard design

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Thanks to All of the Project Partners!

And a Special thanks to the following partners:

Residents of Santa Cruz County who supported Tax Measure D and donated funds to the Land Trust for this project funds to the Land Trust for this project.

Nancy R. Siepel, Caltrans District 5 Morgan A. Robertson, Caltrans District 5 E i t l St d hi B h C t l C t Bi l B h C t l R i Environmental Stewardship Branch Central Coast Biology Branch—Central Region San Luis Obispo, California San Luis Obispo, California Nancy.Siepel@dot.ca.gov Morgan.Robertson@dot.ca.gov 805-549-3573 805-542-4684