Closures on Hwy 17 as Caltrans completes wildlife undercrossing at Laurel Curve
Closures on Hwy 17 as Caltrans completes wildlife undercrossing at Laurel Curve
About 65,000 cars travel Highway 17 each day, and Laurel Curve is one of the deadliest sections for wildlife on the highway. Between 2012 and 2017, nearly 350 animals were killed in collisions with moving vehicles. Caltrans is closing one lane on each side of Hwy 17, as they finalize a wildlife undercrossing project.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - Caltrans is closing one lane on each side of Hwy 17, as they finalize a wildlife under crossing project. Starting tonight and on Thursday night, crews will be working overnight near Laurel Curve just north of Scotts Valley.
"If it keeps one animal off the roadway, then it’s probably saving a life or preventing a serious injury," said Kevin Drabinski, Spokesperson for Caltrans Dist. 5.
Caltrans and its partners are near completion of a wildlife under crossing it began constructing last year. A portion of Highway 17 will act as a bridge, connecting 790 acres of land and allowing animals roaming the area to go underneath the highway.
"They took a perfectly level stretch of the road, build bridges supports on either end of it, removed the dirt from down below and that’s created a natural under crossing that we’re already seeing animals take advantage of," said Drabinski.
About 65,000 cars travel Highway 17 each day, and Laurel Curve is one of the deadliest sections for wildlife on the highway. Between 2012 and 2017, nearly 350 animals were killed in collisions with moving vehicles.
The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County in partnership with Caltrans, Granite Rock, and the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, will open this critical wildlife corridor allowing animals to safely cross from one side to the other.
On Wednesday and Thursday night, one lane will be closed on north and southbound Highway 17 at the Laurel Curve. The north bound lane closure will start at 8pm and the south bound closure will start at 9pm each night.
"During this closure time, they’re able to put high friction surface treatment to the roadway. It’s kind of an advanced treatment that we have in other locations on Highway 17. Especially on curves, it provides better stability for vehicles," Drabinski said.
Ninety feet of underpass will stretch beneath all four lanes of Highway 17. Santa Cruz County also installed dozens of cameras in the area to monitor wildlife using the under crossing.