Letter to the Editor: Wildlife crossings make our roads safer
It was odd to have a mom black bear and her cub visit my house near Red Hill in the middle of the summer. They’re supposed to be in the high country, but not this year. The lack of water has made food scarce and it’s driving them lower in the valley. Then I heard the news about a black bear hit near the Highway 133 light on Highway 82, and its cub not leaving. It’s heartbreaking but, unfortunately, not surprising. There’s been a sharp increase in bear deaths from vehicle collisions in Garfield County this year, as noted in your Aug. 31 article.
From where I live in Carbondale, just north of Highway 82, I see firsthand how often wildlife and vehicles attempt to share the same roads. Sometimes we all get to where we need to be, but sometimes we don’t. And when we don’t, the result can be injuries, steep financial consequences from car damage or medical issues, or worse.
I choose to live here because of its proximity to backcountry skiing, biking and hunting. But every time I drive to those activities, or just drop kids off at day care, I know there’s a chance that I could hit an animal. It is a risk that we all take living here, but thanks to the soon-to-be instituted Wildlife Collision Prevention Fund, I also know our roads are getting safer.
The Wildlife Collision Prevention Fund became law last year when the state Legislature passed Senate Bill 141, the Wildlife Collision Prevention Act, supported by Rep. Elizabeth Velasco and Sen. Marc Catlin. The law gives Coloradans the ability to opt out of a $5 contribution when they register their vehicles to fund wildlife crossings that will keep animals — including bears — off the road and people out of harm’s way.
For me, this is an easy $5 to feel good about. Wildlife crossings have already proven that they can dramatically reduce collisions in the places where animals and vehicles regularly cross paths. When it comes time to renew my registration, I’ll be giving my $5 and I hope other Coloradans will too.
Patrick King, Carbondale
