The Drackensteiner Hang is a mountainside in the Swabian Alps at Kirchheim unter Teck in Baden-Württemberg , Germany . Bundesautobahn 8 between Stuttgart and Ulm divides into separate northbound and southbound routes on either side of the peak. The two halves of the autobahn each traverse one tunnel and a series of two or three viaducts that were designed by Paul Bonatz and built for the Reichsautobahn ; the bridges were all destroyed in World War II and had to be rebuilt, and the route in one direction was only completed in the 1950s. A project to reroute the autobahn with new tunnels and bridges has been postponed indefinitely.
67-437: The entire segment is 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) long. The separated sections, which are some 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) apart at the furthest and over which the autobahn rises or descends 230 metres (750 ft), lie between Mühlhausen im Täle and Hohenstadt , where there is an emergency access road. North of Mühlhausen, traffic southbound from Aichelberg , where the first viaduct is located, climbs 200 metres (660 ft) up
134-638: A white elephant head behind a white castle wall upon a field of red . The elephant is a reference to the House of Helfenstein, whose arms feature one, while the castle wall is to distinguish Hohenstadt's blazon from those of other municipalities. The coat of arms was created and accepted by the municipal council in 1948. It was approved by the Federal Ministry of the Interior , and a corresponding municipal flag issued, on 19 March 1960. Hohenstadt
201-719: A 40-mile stretch of Interstate 75 in Collier and Lee Counties in Florida ( Scott 2007 ). These crossings are specifically designed to target and protect the endangered Florida panther, a subspecies of cougar found in the Southeastern United States . Scientists estimate that there are only 80–100 Florida panthers alive in the wild, which makes them one of the most endangered large mammals in North America ( Foster & Humphrey 1995 ). The Florida panther
268-526: A contract with university researchers to assess the effectiveness of the crossings. Subsequently, a number of publications have analyzed the crossings' effect on various species and overall wildlife mortality (see Clevenger & Waltho 2000 , Clevenger et al. 2001 , and Clevenger 2007 ). Using a variety of techniques to monitor the crossings since the early 1980s, scientists report that 10 species of large mammals (including deer, elk, black bear, grizzly bear , mountain lion, wolf, moose, and coyote ) have used
335-628: A daily average of 31,500 in 1974 to almost 50,000 in 1989, with peak loads of 75,000 a day, and both traffic jams and accidents were common. Lorries, in particular, found the gradient of almost 7% difficult to negotiate. The aging Franzosenschlucht Viaduct was supported with props in places. Between 1985 and 1990, the Aichelberg segment was extensively rebuilt, widened to the now normal three lanes in each direction, and straightened. Two new bridges were built—the Maustobel Bridge replaces
402-494: A jury of international experts in landscape architecture , engineering, architecture, ecology and transportation selected five finalists in November 2010 to further develop their conceptual designs for a wildlife crossing structure. In January 2011, the team led by HNTB with Michael Van Valkenburgh & Associates (New York) were selected as the winners. The design features a single 100 m (328 ft) concrete span across
469-550: A number of mitigation tools for reducing the conflict between roads and wildlife. Of the currently available options, structures known as wildlife crossings have been the most successful at reducing both habitat fragmentation and wildlife-vehicle collisions caused by roads. Wildlife crossings are structural passages beneath or above roadways that are designed to facilitate safe wildlife movement across roadways. In recent years, conservation biologists and wildlife managers have advocated wildlife crossings coupled with roadside fencing as
536-529: A population. For instance, found that road kills do not pose a significant threat to healthy populations but can be devastating to small, shrinking, or threatened populations. Road mortality has significantly affected a number of prominent species in the United States, including white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), Florida panthers ( Puma concolor coryi ), and black bears ( Ursus americanus ). In addition, habitat loss can be direct, if habitat
603-594: A practice in habitat conservation , allowing connections or reconnections between habitats , combating habitat fragmentation . They also assist in avoiding collisions between vehicles and animals , which in addition to killing or injuring wildlife may cause injury or death to humans and property damage . Similar structures can be used for domesticated animals, such as cattle creeps . Habitat fragmentation occurs when human-made barriers such as roads , railroads , canals , electric power lines , and pipelines penetrate and divide wildlife habitat. Of these, roads have
670-462: A road project is a 7–8% increase in the total cost of the project ( Bank et al. 2002 ). Theoretically, the monetary costs associated with constructing and maintaining wildlife crossings in ecologically important areas are trumped by the benefits associated with protecting wildlife populations, reducing property damage to vehicles, and saving the lives of drivers and passengers by reducing the number of collisions caused by wildlife. A study completed for
737-495: A tight 'forest curve', and both the Aichelberg and Franzosenschlucht Viaducts were replaced on different sites—a wildlife crossing was constructed, and a stream was diverted. In 2005, plans were completed to similarly replace the divided routes around the mountain at the Drackensteiner Hang with a single more direct three-lane route between Mühlhausen and a new Hohenstadt intersection at Widderstall. The route
SECTION 10
#1732773163888804-401: A variety of species including bobcats , coyotes , gray fox , mule deer , and long-tailed weasels . These results could be extremely important for wildlife conservation efforts in the region's Puente Hills and Chino Hills links, which have been increasingly fragmented by road construction ( Haas 2000 ). Los Angeles County's first wildlife-purpose built underpass is at Harbor Boulevard. It
871-631: A way to increase road permeability and habitat connectivity while decreasing wildlife-vehicle collisions. Wildlife crossing is the umbrella term encompassing underpasses, overpasses, ecoducts, green bridges, amphibian/small mammal tunnels, and wildlife viaducts ( Bank et al. 2002 ). All of these structures are designed to provide semi-natural corridors above and below roads so that animals can safely cross without endangering themselves and motorists. Written reports of rough fish ladders date to 17th-century France, where bundles of branches were used to create steps in steep channels to bypass obstructions. A version
938-724: Is Zeist West - A 28, opened in 1988. Another case study of the effectiveness of wildlife crossings comes from an underpass built to minimize the ecological effect of the Calder Freeway as it travels through the Black Forest in Victoria, Australia. In 1997, the Victorian Government Roads Corporation built Slaty Creek wildlife underpass at a cost of $ 3 million ( Abson & Lawrence 2003 ). Scientists used 14 different techniques to monitor
1005-638: Is a municipality in the Göppingen district of Baden-Württemberg , Germany . Hohenstadt was sold in 1483 by the County of Helfenstein to the Lords of Westerstetten, who would in 1485 cede half of the township to the County of Württemberg . The Helfensteins resumed control of the ceded half in 1586, but when they went extinct in 1627, it reverted to the sovereignty of the now Duchy of Württemberg . Hohenstadt only fully came under Württemberg's control when in 1806
1072-946: Is connected to Germany's network of roadways by an access road from its local Landesstraßen und Kreisstraßen to the Bundesautobahn 8 . Local public transportation is provided by the Filsland Mobilitätsverbundes [ de ] . Wildlife crossing Wildlife crossings are structures that allow animals to cross human -made barriers safely. Wildlife crossings may include underpass tunnels or wildlife tunnels , viaducts , and overpasses or green bridges (mainly for large or herd -type animals); amphibian tunnels; fish ladders ; canopy bridges (especially for monkeys and squirrels); tunnels and culverts (for small mammals such as otters , hedgehogs , and badgers ); and green roofs (for butterflies and birds). Wildlife crossings are
1139-404: Is destroyed to make room for a road, or indirect, if habitat quality close to roads is compromised due to emissions from the roads (e.g. noise, light, runoff, pollution, etc.). Finally, species that are unable to migrate across roads to reach resources such as food, shelter and mates will experience reduced reproductive and survival rates, which can compromise population viability. In addition to
1206-476: Is particularly vulnerable to wildlife-vehicle collisions, which claimed 11 panthers in 2006 and 14 in 2007 ( Scott 2007 ). The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has used a number of mitigation tools in an effort to protect Florida panthers and the combination of wildlife crossings and fences have proven the most effective ( Scott 2007 ). As of 2007, no panthers have been killed in areas equipped with continuous fencing and wildlife crossings and
1273-461: Is to include two new tunnels (Himmelsschleife, 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) long and Drackenstein, 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) long) and two new bridges over the Fils and Gosbach valleys (800 metres (2,600 ft) and 460 metres (1,510 ft) long). The plan foresees retention of the southbound route as a rural road, with most of the northbound route being returned to a natural state, as was done after
1340-543: Is well documented. One study found that roads contribute more to fragmentation in forest habitats than clear cuts. Another study concluded that road fragmentation of formerly contiguous forest in eastern North America is the primary cause for the decline of forest bird species and has also significantly harmed small mammals, insects, and reptiles in the United States. After years of research, biologists agree that roads and traffic lead to habitat fragmentation, isolation and road kill, all of which combine to significantly compromise
1407-603: The Administrative Region of Stuttgart , to a low of 728 meters (2,388 ft) NN. Hohenstadt has one borough ( Ortsteil ), Hohenstadt, and one village, Weilerhöhe. There are three abandoned villages in the municipal area: Feuerbach, Heudorf, and Waldstetten. Hohenstadt is a member of the Oberes Filstal municipal association , headquartered in Wiesensteig . Hohenstadt's coat of arms displays
SECTION 20
#17327731638881474-687: The Washington State Department of Transportation received approval to begin a 15-mile (24 km) safety improvement project through the Snoqualmie Pass area along the Interstate 90 corridor from Hyak to Easton , through the Central Cascades and Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area, including a series of wildlife crossings. Wildlife habitat on either side of I-90 will be reconnected with
1541-459: The 1950s. European countries including the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, and France have been using various crossing structures to reduce the conflict between wildlife and roads for several decades and use a variety of overpasses and underpasses to protect and re-establish wildlife such as: amphibians, badgers, ungulates, invertebrates, and other small mammals. The Humane Society of
1608-695: The 2011–15 period by the German Minister of Transport , Peter Ramsauer . In 2011, the Lämmerbuckel Tunnel was completely renovated, including replacement of the wall tiles installed in the 1950s by moisture-resistant concrete and improvement of emergency facilities. Paul Bonatz's viaducts at the Drackensteiner Hang have been praised as an example of "monumentality and daring in harmonious balance". 48°32′30″N 9°38′54″E / 48.54167°N 9.64833°E / 48.54167; 9.64833 Hohenstadt Hohenstadt
1675-579: The 24 crossings in Banff a total of 84,000 times as of January 2007 ( Clevenger 2007 ). The research also identified a " learning curve " such that animals need time to acclimate to the structures before they feel comfortable using them. For example, grizzly bear crossings increased from seven in 1996 to more than 100 in 2006, although the actual number of individual bears using the structures remained constant over this time at between two and four bears (Parks Canada, unpublished results). A similar set of observations
1742-462: The 60 metres (200 ft) long Nasenfels Tunnel and skirts the Drackensteiner Hang proper on the 230 metres (750 ft) long Drachenloch Bridge (named for the 'dragon's cave', sealed off in the building of the motorway, the story of which is presumed to have given the name to the cliffside and the community of Drackenstein ), the 100 metres (330 ft) long Himmelsleiter Bridge and the 250 metres (820 ft) long Fischerhäusle Bridge before crossing
1809-571: The FWC is planning to construct many more crossing structures in the future. The underpasses on I-75 also appeared to benefit bobcats, deer, and raccoons by significantly reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions along the interstate ( Foster & Humphrey 1995 ). Wildlife crossings have also been important for protecting biodiversity in several areas of southern California . In San Bernardino County , biologists have erected fences along State Route 58 to complement underpasses (culverts) that are being used by
1876-631: The Fils northeast of Mühlhausen and then climbing to the 371 metres (1,217 ft) long Todsburg Bridge, which skirts the Steinbühl (797 metres (2,615 ft) above sea level) near the Todsburger Höhle cave. It then continues to climb, crossing the 150 metres (490 ft) long Malakoff Bridge and passing through the 625 metres (2,051 ft) long Lämmerbuckel Tunnel before rejoining the other carriageway at Hohenstadt. The northbound carriageway, 5.7 kilometres (3.5 mi) long, passes through
1943-466: The Fils west of Gosbach . The segment was built during the Third Reich as part of Reichsautobahn 26 between Munich and Stuttgart. Work began in 1936 and continued on the southbound section of divided carriageway until 1942, when it stopped because of World War II. The carriageways were divided because of the steepness of the mountainside: having the entire four lanes skirt the same side of the peak
2010-598: The International Wildlife Crossing Infrastructure Design Competition for a wildlife crossing over Interstate 70 in the high country west of Denver , Colorado ; designers had to account for challenges unique to the area, including snow and severe weather, high elevation and steep grades, a six-lane roadway, a bike path, and high traffic volumes, as well as multiple species of wildlife, including lynx . After receiving 36 submissions from nine countries,
2077-458: The Lordship of Wiesensteig, which controlled the town at that time, was mediatized to Württemberg, now a Kingdom . The town was assigned to Oberamt Göppingen [ de ] , after 1938 Landkreis Göppingen, its contemporary incarnation. Hohenstadt began a period of urban growth after World War II that ended in the 1960s. The municipality ( Gemeinde ) of Hohenstadt is situated in
Drackensteiner Hang - Misplaced Pages Continue
2144-414: The Lämmerbuckel Tunnel, begun in late autumn 1937, work on the southbound route began in 1938, and it was not complete when construction was halted in 1942. The almost finished Lämmerbuckel Tunnel was then closed at both ends with heavy gates and used for production of aircraft engines and other armaments by Heller and Daimler-Benz ; heating, lighting and living quarters were provided inside. The land above
2211-507: The TCH by more than 80 percent. Recent analysis for carnivores showed results were not as positive however, with bear mortality increasing by an average of 116 percent in direct parallel to an equal doubling of traffic volumes on the highway, clearly showing no effect of fencing to reduce bear mortality (Hallstrom, Clevenger, Maher and Whittington, in prep). Research on the crossings in Banff has thus shown mixed value of wildlife crossings depending on
2278-563: The United States reported in 2007 that the more than 600 tunnels installed under major and minor roads in the Netherlands have helped to substantially increase population levels of the endangered European badger . The longest "ecoduct" overpass, Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo, in the Netherlands, runs 800 meters (2,600 ft) and spans a highway, railway and golf course . Wildlife crossings are becoming increasingly common in Canada and
2345-508: The United States cause an estimated $ 1.1 billion in vehicle damage each year. On a larger scale, research indicates that wildlife-vehicle collisions in the United States result in 29,000 injuries and more than 200 fatalities per year. The conservation issues associated with roads (wildlife mortality and habitat fragmentation) coupled with the substantial human and economic costs resulting from wildlife-vehicle collisions have caused scientists, engineers, and transportation authorities to consider
2412-609: The United States. Recognizable wildlife crossings are found in Banff National Park in Alberta , where vegetated overpasses provide safe passage over the Trans-Canada Highway for bears, moose, deer, wolves, elk, and many other species. The 24 wildlife crossings in Banff were constructed as part of a road improvement project in 1978. In the United States, thousands of wildlife crossings have been built in
2479-549: The Veluwe. The first two ecoducts on the Veluwe were built in 1988 across the A50 when the highway was constructed. Five of the other ecoducts on the Veluwe were built across existing highways, one was built across a two lane provincial road. The two ecoducts across the A50 were used by nearly 5,000 deer and wild boar during a one-year period ( Bank et al. 2002 ). The Netherlands also boasts
2546-479: The Virginia Department of Transportation estimated that underpasses for wildlife become cost effective, in terms of property damage, when they prevent between 2.6 and 9.2 deer-vehicle collisions per year, depending on the cost of the underpass. Approximately 300 deer crossed through the underpasses in the year the study took place ( Donaldson 2005 ). A number of studies have been conducted to determine
2613-421: The best opportunities to study the effectiveness of wildlife crossings because the park contains a wide variety of species and is bisected by the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH), a large commercial road. To reduce the effects of the four-lane TCH, 24 wildlife crossings (22 underpasses and two overpasses) were built to ensure habitat connectivity and protect motorists ( Clevenger 2007 ). In 1996, Parks Canada developed
2680-612: The district of Göppingen , of the German state of Baden-Württemberg . Hohenstadt lies at the southernmost tip of Göppingen's district, along its border with the Alb-Danube district . The municipal area is physically located in the Middle Kuppenalb [ de ] . Elevation above sea level in the municipal area ranges from a high of 836 meters (2,743 ft) Normalnull (NN), the highest elevation above sea level in
2747-430: The divided sections, Paul Bonatz was the primary bridge designer, in collaboration with Wilhelm Tiedje as engineer. The northbound carriageway was completed in record time and opened on 30 October 1937 carrying traffic in a single lane in each direction. Small viewing points were provided on the valley side of the road, and the viaducts were used for advertising the beauty of the autobahns, and became well known. Except for
Drackensteiner Hang - Misplaced Pages Continue
2814-424: The effectiveness of wildlife corridors at providing habitat connectivity (by providing viable migration corridors) and reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions. The effectiveness of these structures appears to be highly site-specific (due to differences in location, structure, species, habitat, etc.) but crossings have been beneficial to a number of species in a variety of locations. Banff National Park offers one of
2881-523: The endangered European badger , as well as populations of wild boar , red deer , and roe deer . As of 2012, the Veluwe , 1,000 square kilometers (390 sq mi) of woods, heathland and drifting sands, the largest lowland nature area in North Western Europe, contains nine ecoducts, 50 meters (160 ft) wide on average, that are used to shuttle wildlife across highways that transect
2948-648: The first three factors, numerous studies have shown that the construction and use of roads is a direct source of habitat fragmentation. As mentioned above, populations surrounded by roads are less likely to receive immigrants from other habitats and as a result, they suffer from a lack of genetic diversity . These small populations are particularly vulnerable to extinction due to demographic, genetic, and environmental stochasticity because they do not contain enough alleles to adapt to new selective pressures such as changes in temperature, habitat, and food availability. The relationship between roads and habitat fragmentation
3015-418: The highway that is planted with a variety of vegetation types, including a pine-tree forest and meadow grasses, to attract different species to cross. A modular precast concrete design means that much of the bridge can be constructed offsite and moved into place. In late 2020, Summit County Safe Passages released the "I-70 East Vail Pass Wildlife Crossings Feasibility Study" for a wildlife overpass. In 2005,
3082-599: The installation of new bridges and culverts, protecting both wildlife and the traveling public. The construction of the wildlife overcrossing began in 2015 and was completed in late 2019. Work to restore habitat on the wildlife bridge over I-90 has continued throughout 2020, with 90,000 trees and shrubs planted on the overcrossing. In 2018, the Utah Department of Transportation announced a wildlife crossing over Interstate 80 in Parleys Canyon . The project
3149-509: The land around the other two viaducts on the northbound section, the Himmelsleiter Bridge and Fischerhäusle Bridge, are a protected historic landmark. The unfinished central section of the Lämmerbuckel Tunnel was also collapsed with explosives. The southbound carriageway was finally completed in 1955–57, with work including completion of both viaducts, creation of the road bed and retaining walls (using concrete, rather than
3216-622: The most widespread and detrimental effects. Scientists estimate that the system of roads in the United States affects the ecology of at least one-fifth of the land area of the country. For many years ecologists and conservationists have documented the adverse relationship between roads and wildlife, and identify four ways that roads and traffic detrimentally affect wildlife populations: (1) they decrease habitat amount and quality, (2) they increase mortality due to wildlife-vehicle collisions (road kill), (3) they prevent access to resources on
3283-660: The north-west-facing slope of the Swabian Alps, known as the Albtrauf, crosses the 500 metres (1,600 ft) long Mustobel Viaduct and travels a further 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) through a mountain valley and the valley of the Winkelbach to the upper reaches of the River Fils , descending approximately 50 metres (160 ft) near Gruibingen . The southbound carriageway is 6.4 kilometres (4.0 mi) long, crossing
3350-445: The other side of the road, and (4) they subdivide wildlife populations into smaller and more vulnerable sub-populations (fragmentation). Habitat fragmentation can lead to extinction or extirpation if a population's gene pool is restricted enough. The first three effects (loss of habitat, road kill, and isolation from resources) exert pressure on various animal populations by reducing available resources and directly killing individuals in
3417-748: The past 30 years, including culverts, bridges, and overpasses. These have been used to protect mountain goats in Montana, spotted salamanders in Massachusetts, bighorn sheep in Colorado, desert tortoises in California , and endangered Florida panthers in Florida . The Henry Street salamander tunnels are tunnels under Henry Street in North Amherst, Massachusetts : they help salamanders cross Henry Street to get to vernal pools that
SECTION 50
#17327731638883484-493: The paving stones and masonry that had been used for the northbound section), and installation of bomb shelters in the Lämmerbuckel Tunnel, which when the segment finally opened on 25 May 1957, was the longest motorway tunnel in Europe. To enable repairs to be made to the northbound carriageway, traffic in both directions then used the southbound route until May–June 1960. Traffic on the Aichelberg segment increased hugely, from
3551-489: The rerouting of the Aichelberg section. The work, estimated to take five years, was to have been funded by a private investor who would then operate the segment as a toll road , the first in the German autobahn system to be funded and operated privately. However, an economic feasibility study showed this to be impractical. The plan is now indefinitely postponed, although it was listed as a priority for use of construction funds in
3618-533: The salamanders use for breeding. The first wildlife crossing in the Canadian province of Ontario was built in 2010, along Ontario Highway 69 between Sudbury and Killarney , as part of the route's ongoing freeway conversion. The benefits derived from constructing wildlife crossings to extend wildlife migration corridors over and under major roads appear to outweigh the costs of construction and maintenance. One study estimates that adding wildlife crossings to
3685-557: The species in question. Parks Canada is currently planning to build 17 additional crossing structures across the TCH to increase driver safety near the hamlet of Lake Louise . Lack of effectiveness of standard fencing in reducing bear mortality demonstrates that additional measures such as wire 'T-caps' on the fence may be needed for fencing to mitigate effectively for bears (Hallstrom, Clevenger, Maher and Whittington, in prep). Twenty-four wildlife crossings (highway underpasses) and 12 bridges modified for wildlife have been constructed along
3752-530: The threatened desert tortoise . Tortoise deaths on the highway declined by 93% during the first four years after the introduction of the fences, proving that even makeshift wildlife crossings (storm-drainage culverts in this case) have the ability to increase highway permeability and protect sensitive species ( Chilson 2003 ). Studies by Haas (2000) and Lyren (2001) report that underpasses in Orange, Riverside, and Los Angeles Counties have drawn significant use from
3819-557: The tunnel is still owned by Daimler , who have a training centre there. On 20 April 1945, the retreating Wehrmacht blew up the Franzosenschlucht Viaduct and the Aichelberg Viaduct on the segment of motorway north of the division of routes. Temporary wooden bridges replaced them until 1951. The Drachenloch Bridge had already been blown up on 19 March; the debris remains in the valley and this area and
3886-530: The underpass could be useful to a wide array of species but the authors suggest that Slaty Creek could be improved by enhanced design and maintenance of fencing to minimise road kill along the Calder Freeway and by attempting to exclude introduced predators such as cats and foxes from the area. In 2005, area environmental groups floated the idea of a wildlife overpass west of Vail Pass . In 2010, ARC Solutions – an interdisciplinary partnership – initiated
3953-433: The underpass for 12 months in order to determine the abundance and diversity of species using the underpass ( Abson & Lawrence 2003 ). During the 12-month period, 79 species of fauna were detected in the underpass (compared with 116 species detected in the surrounding forest) including amphibians, bats , birds, koalas , wombats , gliders , reptiles, and kangaroos ( Abson & Lawrence 2003 ). The results indicate that
4020-487: The viability of wildlife populations throughout the world. Wildlife-vehicle collisions have a significant cost for human populations because collisions damage property and injure and kill passengers and drivers. Research in the 1990s estimated the number of collisions with ungulates in traffic in Europe at 507,000 per year, resulting in 300 people killed, 30,000 injured, and property damage exceeding $ 1 billion. In parallel, 1.5 million traffic accidents involving deer in
4087-592: The world's longest ecoduct-wildlife overpass called the Natuurbrug Zanderij Crailoo (sand quarry nature bridge at Crailo) ( Danby 2004 ). The massive structure, completed in 2006, is 50 meters (160 ft) wide and over 800 meters (2,600 ft) long and spans a railway line, business park , roadway, and sports complex ( Danby 2004 ). Monitoring is currently underway to examine the effectiveness of this innovative project combining wildlife protection with urban development. The oldest wildlife passage
SECTION 60
#17327731638884154-612: Was built in partnership between Los Angeles County, California State Parks and the Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority. Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing , also known as Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing, in Agoura Hills, California , will be one of the largest overpasses in the United States after its stated completion in 2024. The Netherlands has over 66 wildlife crossings (overpasses and ecoducts) that have been used to protect
4221-894: Was completed in early 2019 and measures 110 meters (350 ft) long by 15 meters (50 ft) wide. It is currently the only wildlife overpass in the state, though Utah has more than 50 wildlife underpasses. On December 11, 2020, the Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge opened over Wurzbach Parkway in San Antonio , Texas' Phil Hardberger Park. The project cost $ 23 million and is designed for both wildlife and pedestrians. Construction began on November 26, 2018, originally expected to end in April 2020, and opened in December 2020. At 58 meters (189 ft) long and 46 meters (150 ft) wide, it
4288-408: Was made for wolves, with crossings increasing from two to approximately 140 over the same 10-year period. However, in this case the actual number of wolves in the packs using the crossings increased dramatically, from a low of two up to a high of over 20 individuals. Clevenger et al. (2001) reported that the use of wildlife crossings and fencing reduced traffic-induced mortality of large ungulates on
4355-473: Was not technically feasible, and stacking the carriageways one above the other would have been too expensive. The impact of large supports under a four-lane structure on the beauty of the landscape was also a consideration, as it had been in the Aichelberg section, which was built stacked to minimise this. There was a viaduct at the Aichelberg and another over the Franzosenschlucht, at Gruibingen. For
4422-724: Was patented in 1837 by Richard McFarlan of Bathurst, New Brunswick , Canada, who designed a fishway to bypass a dam at his water-powered lumber mill. In 1880, the first fish ladder was built in Rhode Island , United States, on the Pawtuxet Falls Dam. As the Industrial Age advanced, dams and other river obstructions became larger and more common, leading to the need for effective fish by-passes. The first overland wildlife crossings were constructed in France during
4489-469: Was the largest wildlife bridge in the United States when it was constructed. Many endangered lion-tailed macaques used to be killed while crossing the highway at Puduthotam in Valparai , South India. Thanks to the efforts of NGOs and the forest department, several canopy bridges were installed, connecting trees on either side of the road. This helped to lower the numbers of lion-tailed macaques killed in
#887112