Got this in an email from the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection:

Voice Your Support for the SR 77 Wildlife Crossing Structures!

Public Meeting Invitation | Tuesday, May 17, 2011 | 5:30pm- 7:30pm | Presentation at 5:45pm
Vista de la Montana United Methodist Church | 3001 E Miravista Lane, Tucson, AZ 85739

It has now been over a year since the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board approved $8.2 million in funding for two underpasses and one overpass along Oracle Road specifically designed and dedicated for wildlife movement. The crossings will be the first of their kind in southern Arizona and the Coalition remains intimately involved with the continued planning for their construction. We hope this project will be a model for future wildlife crossings in southern Arizona and beyond.

Your comments and suggestions are needed at a public meeting about the Oracle Road project. The Arizona Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration will be hosting this meeting, on May 17th, presenting displays and materials describing the project. Project team members will be on hand to provide information and address questions.

These wildlife crossings will provide connectivity in the linkage area between the Tortolita and Catalina mountain ranges. Providing a safe road crossing point for deer, mountain lion, bobcat, javelina, fox, and coyote, among other wildlife, will help maintain a healthy ecosystem and protect our native species. You can help ensure that the crossings are a top-priority in this road project!

For more information on this project, visit: www.azdot.gov/oracleroadtopinal

This is the Arizona Department of Transportation info on the SR 77 project:

State Route 77, also known as Oracle Road, runs through the Tucson and Oro Valley metropolitan areas and Pima and Pinal Counties. Both local and regional traffic use the roadway, which is maintained by ADOT’s Tucson District.

ADOT, in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration, recently completed a study and assessment phase for State Route 77 between Tangerine Road and the Pinal County line. The study evaluated improvements to provide better traffic flow, added safety and to tie into the recently completed improvements south of Tangerine Road. ADOT held two public meetings during the course of the phase to provide information to and receive input from the community. These improvements would tie into the recently completed improvements south of Tangerine Road.

ADOT is currently working on the design of this project. Two public meetings and several small group meetings are anticipated to be held in the future as the project moves forward.

Project Details:

• An additional 12-foot-wide travel lane and 10-foot-wide shoulder in each direction, for a total of six travel lanes
• New right-turn lanes at some locations and median and left-turn lanes through the project area
• Retaining walls (if required)
• Noise walls (where required)
• Traffic signal improvements
• Drainage improvements
• Pedestrian pathway improvements on the east side of Oracle Road from
  Wilds Road to Golder Ranch Road
• Three wildlife crossings in the southern portion of the project

So…. $8.2 million so deer, mountain lion, bobcat, javelina, fox, and coyote, among other wildlife can get from one side of the road to the other…..is there a grant available to train the critters to use the crossings?

This entry was posted on Friday, May 6th, 2011 at 5:11 am and is filed under environment water and energy, politics. Tags for this post: orcale road wildlife crossings, orcalew road improvement, SR 77 iumpropvements, wildlife crossing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.