An effort to reduce collisions with wildlife on Orange County’s tollways has won the agency governing the roads a national award, officials said Wednesday.
The Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency has won recognition from the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association.
The two-year project included installing fencing along the 241 Toll Road to keep wildlife off the busy thoroughfares and out of harm’s way, said Sarah Swensson King of the agency.
The agency used GPS collars to track the movements of cougars in the Santa Ana Mountain Range and also installed cameras to document wildlife activity, King said.
That led to a six-mile fence along the 241 Toll Road from the 261 Toll Road north to the Riverside (91) Freeway. It is 10- to 12-feet high and includes an 18-inch “outrigger” that keeps wildlife from climbing over it, she said.
The fence is two-feet deep as well to keep animals from tunneling under it, she said.
“The wildlife safety fence is expected to provide an approximate 90-95 percent reduction in vehicle-wildlife collisions coupled with a substantial increase in the use of existing under crossings,” King said. “For the wildlife that may inadvertently enter the roadway, jump-out ramps that provide animals with an escape back into the open space are included at every one-half mile intervals.”
–City News Service