Type: report

Article abstract: The purpose of this project is to address the issue of habitat connectivity and wildlife crossing State Route 94 safely in an area north of the city of Jamul. It is little to no surprise that road and highway developments have a large impact on natural habitats and wildlife. State Route 94 is no exception, dividing the north side from the south side of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge. Too often, animals attempt to cross the highway and end up endangering not only themselves but human motorist as well. The fundamental basis of this project includes designing a culvert that will ideally serve all different species in the area, effectively decreasing the mortality rate of wildlife and increasing safety for motorist. This project will also include widening of SR-94 to have a LOS A by determining how many more lanes will be needed to service traffic flow in future years. Additional considerations are the local watershed welfare and major pipelines from the Otay Water District pump station that will need to be avoided or redirected at the discretion of the water consultant. While all this is underway, construction management will address construction access, budgeting, and phasing of the project as to not congest traffic during working hours. The wildlife-crossing project must also keep in mind to minimize environmental impact, especially due to the nature of the wildlife refuge.