Caltrans Moving Forward with Mono County Wildlife Crossing Project

 

 

MAMMOTH LAKES – Caltrans has moved into the Project Approval & Environmental Document (PA&ED) phase of the proposed Mammoth Lakes Wildlife Crossing Project designed to construct multiple wildlife crossings on U.S. 395 in Mono County. In this phase, Caltrans will conduct public outreach, finalize the environmental document, and complete the project report. Caltrans secured $3.17 million in funding for the PA&ED phase through a Wildlife Conservation Board grant in 2022.

“We are grateful to receive the grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board to move this project forward,” said Katie Rodriguez, senior environmental scientist supervisor for Caltrans District 9. “Our project has strong support locally and beyond from our Eastern Sierra Wildlife Stewardship Team; without their partnerships, this would not be possible. This project is important for improving connectivity for wildlife and drivers in the Eastern Sierra.”

The Mammoth Lakes Wildlife Crossing Project has five different design concepts that vary in cost and scope on U.S. 395 near the Mammoth Airport and on State Route 203. The largest design concept would include two large overcrossings, two large undercrossings, and a fifth crossing that could be constructed either over or under the highway. It would also improve an existing undercrossing on U.S. 395 and install wildlife fencing. The cost of this concept is estimated to be $53.5 million.

More information, including maps and costs of the proposed design concepts and statistics on wildlife-vehicle collisions, can be found on the new Mammoth Lakes Wildlife Crossing Project page on the Caltrans District 9 website. This page will be updated throughout the life of the project and will feature the most up-to-date information on its status.