State highway system: wildlife connectivity.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on funding, timelines, or exact actions Caltrans must take beyond planning and inventory creation.

Wildlife Connectivity for State Highways

The bill requires Caltrans to include wildlife connectivity in its highway management plans, review state highways for wildlife needs, and work with the Department of Fish and Wildlife on inventories.

What This Bill Does

• Requires Caltrans to set goals and measures that help animals move safely across roads.
• Makes Caltrans add these animal safety goals to their plan for fixing and building roads.
• Tells Caltrans to look at all state highways with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to find ways to protect wildlife.
• Needs Caltrans to work with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to make a list of places where animals need help crossing roads safely.

Who It Names or Affects

• Caltrans, which is in charge of California's highways
• The Department of Fish and Wildlife

Terms To Know

wildlife connectivity assets

Things that help animals move safely across roads without getting hurt.

asset management plan

A plan for fixing and building roads to keep them safe and working well.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not say how much money will be spent on these projects.
• It is unclear what specific actions Caltrans must take beyond making plans and inventories.
• There are no details about when the new requirements start or how often they need to be updated.

Official Summary Text

SB 1250, as amended, Cortese.
State highway system: wildlife connectivity.
Existing law vests the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) with full possession and control of the state highway system and requires Caltrans to improve and maintain the state highways. Existing law requires Caltrans, in consultation with the California Transportation Commission, to prepare a robust asset management plan to guide selection of projects for the state highway operation and protection program. Existing law requires the commission, in connection with the plan, to adopt targets and performance measures reflecting state transportation goals and objectives.
This bill would require the targets and performance measures adopted by the commission to include targets and performance measures reflecting state transportation goals and objectives for wildlife connectivity assets that reflect the need for new assets and conditions of
existing assets that improve or maintain the connectivity of wildlife crossings.
This
The
bill would require Caltrans to include wildlife connectivity assets in the asset management plan.
Existing law declares the intent of the Legislature that Caltrans review the full extent of the state highway system, as currently maintained, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and with opportunities for the public to provide data input for consideration, to develop a comprehensive approach to address wildlife connectivity needs throughout the state with the goal of implementing measures that protect, conserve, and improve the state’s unique wildlife, landscapes, and natural resources.
This bill would explicitly require Caltrans
to undertake this duty.
Existing law requires
the
Caltrans, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and other appropriate agencies, to establish an inventory of connectivity needs on the state highway system where the implementation of wildlife passage features could reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions or enhance wildlife connectivity, and to update the inventory on a biennial basis, as specified.
This bill would instead require Caltrans to jointly establish and update this inventory with the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF