CALTRANS URGED TO LEAVE 118 OVERPASS TO WILDLIFE.Byline: Kerry Cavanaugh Staff Writer Environmentalists and wildlife officials want to stop Caltrans from adding access ramps to the partially completed Rocky Peak Rocky Peak is the name of the 3rd highest point in the Santa Susana Mountains, which overlook both Chatsworth and Simi Valley, in Southern California. The peak, which is 2,714 feet above sea level, sits on the Los Angeles County/Ventura County line. Road overpass on the Ronald Reagan Freeway, saying the remote bridge is one of the last corridors for mountain lions, bobcats and other wildlife to cross. The overpass, built in 1968, isn't used very much and presents an inviting walkway for wildlife crossing from Santa Susana Pass Santa Susana Pass is a mountain pass connecting Simi Valley to the San Fernando Valley. The road used to be an Indian trail, and later a wagon road (a famous part was called Devil's Slide) before the road was paved. State Historic park to Rocky Peak Ranch. The overpass, which allows only westbound travelers to exit and eastbound travelers to enter the freeway, is considered one of the most important wildlife corridors in the state, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Caltrans. Still, Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. officials have lobbied the state for more than a decade to upgrade the overpass to speed up fire and police response to the Rocky Peak area. ``It would definitely cut seven to eight minutes on our response time,'' Simi Police Sgt. Paul Fitzpatrick said Wednesday. In order to reach westbound lanes of the freeway in that area, emergency crews must drive east to Topanga Canyon Boulevard, exit the freeway and get back on the westbound lanes. Wildlife advocates see the overpass as essential to the survival of the region's native species, such as mountain lions, allowing them to cross between Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. mountain ranges to breed and forage. ``If we lose that we really lose the good wildlife connection for Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains The Santa Monica Mountains are a low transverse range in southern California in the United States. Geography They run for approximately 40 mi (64 km) east-west from the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles to Point Mugu in Ventura County. ,'' said Paul Edelman, deputy director of planning for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy is an agency of the state of California in the United States founded in 1979 and dedicated to the acquisition of land in the Santa Susana and Santa Monica Mountains and the Simi Hills, north and west of Los Angeles, for preservation as open . ``That corridor is one of a kind.'' At one time the conservancy and wildlife advocates proposed a separate overpass for animals. But that proved far too expensive for a relatively small project, Edelman said. Instead, the state Department of Transportation will spend the next year studying ways for wildlife to cross the freeway and how frequently mountain lions, ring-tailed cats and other animals use the Rocky Peak Road overpass. If the overpass proves to be essential, Caltrans could close the ramps to all but emergency responders, said Ronald Kosinski, Caltrans' deputy director of environmental planning. So far, the agency is leaning toward keeping the overpass open for general use. Caltrans is accepting public comments on the proposal through Friday. They can be sent to Ronald Kosinski, Division of Environmental Planning, Ven-118, California Department of Transportation The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is a government agency in the U.S. state of California. Its mission is to improve mobility across the state. It manages the state highway system and is actively involved with public transportation systems in California. , 120 S. Spring St., Mail Stop 16A, Los Angeles 90012. Kerry Cavanaugh, (818) 713-3746 kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): map Map: ROCKY PEAK OVERPASS |
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