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By Kristen Green, San Diego UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
October 25, 2002
A wildlife tunnel under state Route 52 that cost taxpayers more than half a million dollars has been closed.
The tunnel was built in the early 1990s for $660,000 to provide animals, especially deer, a passage under the freeway. The portion of it on Miramar Marine Corps Air Station land was closed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"They threw up the fence immediately and there was no use arguing with them," said Mission Trails Regional Park senior ranger Paul Kilburg, who said it would be better for the animals if they were able to use the passage.
Mission Trails is on the southern side of the freeway, while the Marine base borders the freeway to the north.
Marine Corps officials said there are no immediate plans to reopen the tunnel, built as part of the Route 52 expansion that opened in December 1993.
"Our security is being maintained at its current level," said Lt. Greg Scott, a spokesman for the base.
Closing the wildlife tunnel, which mountain bikers used to gain access to the Marine base illegally, was part of the general tightening of security by the government and the military at airports, dams, power plants and military bases after the terrorist attacks.
"It kind of goes against the whole reason that thing was put in," said Scott Braden, a Santee pilot who recently noticed while hiking in Mission Trails that the passageway was closed.
He said he has seen deer in the area, and worries that they don't have a place to cross under the freeway. The tunnel was designed with solar-powered lights to encourage deer to cross between the Marine base and Mission Trails.
But deer apparently didn't use the tunnel, said Caltrans spokesman Tom Nipper. Based on their tracks, they entered and turned around halfway inside, he said.
"It wasn't as successful as we hoped it would be," Nipper said.
Some speculate that deer are afraid of the noise and lights from the freeway.
Caltrans biologist Bruce April said the opening is 20 feet wide, considerably smaller than the crossings deer use under Oak and Spring Canyon bridges, farther east on Route 52.
"This is not an exact science," April said. "It's kind of learn as you go."
A bigger problem, he said, is that human users have outnumbered animals 15 to 1 in the tunnel.
But he said the tunnel wasn't altogether unsuccessful. Coyotes, foxes, raccoons, black-tailed jack rabbits and bobcats also have used the passage.
The smaller animals might still be able to get through the fence that Marines put up to keep people off the property.
Nipper said the right of way is on the Marines' land.
"There's really nothing we can do about it," he said.
He is trying to set up a time to meet with a representative of the Marines.
"We'd like to see it open," he said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kristen Green: (619) 542-4576; kristen.green@uniontrib.com
October 25, 2002
A wildlife tunnel under state Route 52 that cost taxpayers more than half a million dollars has been closed.
The tunnel was built in the early 1990s for $660,000 to provide animals, especially deer, a passage under the freeway. The portion of it on Miramar Marine Corps Air Station land was closed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"They threw up the fence immediately and there was no use arguing with them," said Mission Trails Regional Park senior ranger Paul Kilburg, who said it would be better for the animals if they were able to use the passage.
Mission Trails is on the southern side of the freeway, while the Marine base borders the freeway to the north.
Marine Corps officials said there are no immediate plans to reopen the tunnel, built as part of the Route 52 expansion that opened in December 1993.
"Our security is being maintained at its current level," said Lt. Greg Scott, a spokesman for the base.
Closing the wildlife tunnel, which mountain bikers used to gain access to the Marine base illegally, was part of the general tightening of security by the government and the military at airports, dams, power plants and military bases after the terrorist attacks.
"It kind of goes against the whole reason that thing was put in," said Scott Braden, a Santee pilot who recently noticed while hiking in Mission Trails that the passageway was closed.
He said he has seen deer in the area, and worries that they don't have a place to cross under the freeway. The tunnel was designed with solar-powered lights to encourage deer to cross between the Marine base and Mission Trails.
But deer apparently didn't use the tunnel, said Caltrans spokesman Tom Nipper. Based on their tracks, they entered and turned around halfway inside, he said.
"It wasn't as successful as we hoped it would be," Nipper said.
Some speculate that deer are afraid of the noise and lights from the freeway.
Caltrans biologist Bruce April said the opening is 20 feet wide, considerably smaller than the crossings deer use under Oak and Spring Canyon bridges, farther east on Route 52.
"This is not an exact science," April said. "It's kind of learn as you go."
A bigger problem, he said, is that human users have outnumbered animals 15 to 1 in the tunnel.
But he said the tunnel wasn't altogether unsuccessful. Coyotes, foxes, raccoons, black-tailed jack rabbits and bobcats also have used the passage.
The smaller animals might still be able to get through the fence that Marines put up to keep people off the property.
Nipper said the right of way is on the Marines' land.
"There's really nothing we can do about it," he said.
He is trying to set up a time to meet with a representative of the Marines.
"We'd like to see it open," he said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kristen Green: (619) 542-4576; kristen.green@uniontrib.com
