The planning process for two wildlife crossings will begin in the California desert thanks to a $5.5 million state-funded grant announced last Thursday. The crossings over State Route 62 will benefit local residents by reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and will provide safe passage for numerous wildlife species, including two threatened mountain lion populations.
The two overpasses were designed for critical points at the Morongo and Yucca grades on SR-62 where multiple wildlife deaths have been documented, including mountain lion, black bear, deer and bighorn sheep.
The project is led by the Mojave Desert Land Trust, which protects land on both sides of the busy highway in a strategic wildlife corridor that connects Joshua Tree National Park to Sand to Snow National Monument, the San Gorgonio Wilderness, and the San Bernardino National Forest. The area is part of a system of interconnected protected landscapes stretching from Mexico to Canada…