Desert high-speed rail line could block sheep, mountain lions. Democrats want more crossings
Caltrans is reviewing California senators’ plea to build wildlife bridges for bighorn sheep over one of the state’s forthcoming high-speed railways.
The California Department of Transportation, better known as Caltrans, is overseeing the private project that would add a zero-emissions railway from Victorville to Las Vegas as a connection between the entertainment hub and Los Angeles.
But California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla are concerned the addition of the railroad in its proposed form would inhibit animals, including the endangered bighorn sheep, from crossing the interstate where the tracks will be built along.
At least one sheep has crossed it before, per an Oregon State University study — even though the desert stretch of interstate in question has multiple lanes of cars moving at least 70 miles per hour at most times.
Feinstein and Padilla wrote in a letter sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday that the company building the railway, Brightline, should add at least three wildlife overpasses above the tracks for the sheep and other animals that are endangered or threatened, according to the state’s standards, to cross safely.
“These protected animals, as well as bobcats, mule deer, and other terrestrial animals depend on movement across the I-15 corridor to maintain their population viability,” the senators wrote.
Brightline is building its railway, for the most part, in the median of Interstate 15. To prevent cars from running into trains, Brightline will build six-foot-tall cement boundaries topped with chain-linked fences on either side of the tracks, which would be more difficult for animals to climb over.
Ben Porritt, the senior vice president of Brightline, said that the company would refurbish the existing tunnels that animals use to travel under the highway rather than through lanes of high-speed traffic. There are more than 600 of them in various sizes, he said.
“We have received the letter and appreciate and share Senator Feinstein’s and Padilla’s vision for a greener California. When launched, Brightline West will be one of the greenest forms of transportation in America and an eco-friendly upgrade to the I-15,” Porritt said. “Beyond connecting two of our great cities, we will be taking more than three million cars off the road each year, cutting carbon emissions and creating a cleaner, more efficient way to travel between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. “
The high-speed train is fully electric and would take half the time that it takes to drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. The company expects to have the train running four years after they begin building and to announce when construction should start soon, per its website.
It is one of a few projects in California aimed at improving public transportation and promoting green-energy travel, including another high-speed railway in the Central Valley.
The wildlife overpasses were first suggested by California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife and Department of Transportation and Caltrans, according to a Caltrans spokesperson.
The governor’s office deferred questions to Caltrans, not answering whether the governor would back the addition of wildlife overpasses.
A spokesperson for the Department of Fish and Wildlife said that the agency also received the letter and was reviewing it.
The $8-billion private project is ultimately overseen by the United States Federal Railroad Administration. It is not subject to California’s review, meaning that Brightline is not required to take precautions for animals that state law says require protections.
A spokesperson for the rail administration said that they were aware of the senators’ letter and that the organization is continuing to work in constant coordination with stakeholders, including California agencies, to address concerns raised about the project.
“We’re working collaboratively with both public and private stakeholders to ensure that as we build and operate the train, we do so in a way that considers any highway improvements, conservation efforts, and other future opportunities that may arise,” Porritt said.
This story was originally published November 4, 2021 at 5:25 AM with the headline "Desert high-speed rail line could block sheep, mountain lions. Democrats want more crossings."
