Travelers driving on Hwy 89 between Truckee and Sierraville might be surprised to learn about a section of the road that has been selected as an “Experimental Highway” for the purpose of benefitting local wildlife.
The Kyburz Flat/Hwy 89 corridor historically experienced a high number of animal-vehicle collisions especially with young fawns. The Forest Service as part of an inter-agency research group has set goals to (1) reduce the number of animal/vehicle collisions, (2) maintain habitat connectivity, and (3) develop and test innovative solutions to these wildlife challenges.
Stop at the Kyburz Flat pullout along the east side of Hwy 89 for a glimpse of some of the projects that have been completed. The first project was installing a wildlife underpass. Deer and other wildlife can now cross underneath the road surface through a large culvert and avoid on-coming traffic. To encourage wildlife to utilize the culvert, fencing was installed in the fall of 2013 to help funnel animals through the underpass. Wildlife that might still enter the fencing and roadbed can climb out using the strategically placed hill ramps or “jump outs” for escape. Travelers can obtain additional information from the interpretive signs at the pullout. If you visit this site during the early morning or late evening hours; you may be lucky enough to see wildlife “on the move.”
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