There are a large number of wildlife crossing planning projects occurring throughout California. Because these facilities are permanent and expensive, it is important to inform location decisions using a wide variety of data. We describe 5 wildlife crossing projects in California at various stages of planning, supported by the Wildlife Conservation Board, Peninsula Open Space Trust, and Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency, with implementation planned within 5-10 years. In the Bay Area, projects address a city road in an undeveloped valley, another includes SR 152, paralleling the proposed alignment for high-speed rail, and a third includes 2 interstates (I-580 and I-680) and a state highway (SR 84). In southern California, a project along I-8 addresses endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep crossings. In northern California, the fifth project incorporates 2 crossings across US 395. The planning studies generally include informally established lists of focal species, including mountain lion, black bear, elk, mule deer, Peninsular bighorn sheep, wolf, pronghorn, western pond turtle, and other species. All projects follow a general rubric of: 1) existing or new biological data collection, 2) spatial modeling for crossing siting, 3) engineering feasibility, 4) Caltrans/local transportation agency documentation, 5) environmental permitting, and 6) engineering design and cost estimation.

Brock Ortega is a consulting biologist with over 30 years’ experience as a wildlife ecologist, program manager and Endangered Species permitter. He holds federal 10(a)(1)(A) permits for several avian and invertebrate species and works on a variety of projects throughout California and nationally. Mr. Ortega has specialized in wildlife movement and connectivity issues throughout his career and is Dudek’s Transportation Ecology practice director. Mr. Ortega has designed and implemented many studies to determine wildlife usage of specific sites and regions and has utilized nearly every technique and method – even building his own remote cameras in the ‘90’s.