Q&A
Jon Holst, a Colorado Department of Transportation biologist, is working on the problem of vehicles colliding with wildlife. Such collisions accounted for almost a third of all accidents on a stretch of U.S. 550 between Ridgway and Colona in a 10-year period. CDOT, with help from the state Division of Wildlife, is experimenting there with yet another way to head off trouble – deer ramps. The department has built three ramps so far and installed a camera to monitor results.
The 6-foot-high earthen ramps provide animals a quick escape route over fences once they are stuck on the highway. Animals run up the ramp on the highway side and jump off to safety.
Q: CDOT built 8 miles of fencing to keep deer and elk off the roads – isn’t it working? And why bother with fencing if you install escape ramps?
A: The fencing is costly but known to be effective at reducing accidents. But it also interferes with wildlife migration.
And we have a lot of uncontrolled access points or openings along the fences that can’t be helped anyway, like bike paths and the reservoir entrance. Some animals inevitably get trapped on the highway and need to get off.
Q: Don’t you already have one-way turnstiles along the fenced section for animals to exit?
A: The deer gates actually have hinged tines, like a cattle chute. They were installed when the fence was originally constructed. Some animals have trouble getting through those. Elk and deer are gregarious. If a lead cow (or doe) shows the other animals how to do it, they all learn. If not …”
Q: Are the ramps working?
A: We actually placed one ramp on an existing game trail. The camera shows the animals are using it. The other two ramps don’t appear to be used heavily. We need to try some other locations.
– Electa Draper, Denver Post staff writer
REGIONAL NOTES
LAKEWOOD
Sirens to wail Wed. in annual test
The city’s outdoor siren warning system will be tested from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday by the Lakewood Police Department.
All 24 sirens will be activated with a long wail, followed by a voice test message over the public address portion of the system. The test will conclude with one more long siren wail.
The annual test is required to ensure all of the sirens are functioning properly. The test will be conducted in conjunction with Denver’s siren testing.
AURORA
Help for Spanish-speaking parents
A free workshop for Spanish-speaking parents of children preparing to enter school is offered twice in April through the Aurora Public Library.
The Ready To Learn Workshop, presented by Rocky Mountain PBS, instructs parents on how to build a child’s learning and reading skills to get them ready for entering school.
Workshops are scheduled from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. April 18 at Martin Luther King Jr. Library, 9898 E. Colfax Ave., 303-739-1940; and from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. April 20 at the North Branch Library, 1298 Peoria St., 303-326-8620.
Space is limited, so call to register.
