Tonya Bina:
"The overpasses would allow for wildlife to travel on a vegetated crossing over the highway. Fencing along the overpass hidden by tall bushes and plantings would serve to create a visual barrier to deter wildlife from being spooked by traffic below, Smith said.
Such wildlife crossing have been successful in Wyoming, Nevada and Utah, he said.
To funnel wildlife to the crossings, wildlife fencing would be installed along all 10 miles of highway.
Engineers hope to have the $800,000 design phase of the project completed by October, according to Smith.
The project will then stand ready for the $35 million to $40 million construction project that could happen when funds become available.
“If a project is on the shelf, it has a really good chance for future funding,” said CDOT engineer Pete Mertes.
“We have a lot going for us,” said Region 3 Grand County Commissioner Gary Bumgarner. “We have a design on the table that's ready to go. And we have a public-private partnership; as we move forward, the higher-ups look to that favorably. ... As states get tighter, there's going to be more and more of that all the time.”
After the meeting, Bumgarner said he could not say whether Grand County would help finance construction of the project in the future. So far, the county's role has been to hold the $805,000 gift from Blue Valley Ranch and pass it through to CDOT for the design work....." (Read more? Click title)
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