I am a resident of California and a regular user of our state highways. One evening, while driving south on the 101 in Petaluma, I had an experience that shook me to my core. An opossum had narrowly made its way to the middle of the freeway alongside the concrete divider wall. I saw the animal just in time, swerving to avoid hitting it.

This incident made me realize how perilous our highways can be for both animals and drivers alike. Animals are forced into dangerous situations due to lack of safe passages across these roads, leading them into traffic where they risk their lives and those of motorists who must unsafely swerve to avoid collisions.

It's high time we address this issue by urging Caltrans (California Department of Transportation) to cut openings along center dividers on state highways for animals' safe passage. This solution has been implemented successfully in other regions; for instance, Banff National Park in Canada has seen an 80% reduction in wildlife-vehicle collisions since introducing wildlife crossings (source: Parks Canada). Additionally, the concrete that would be removed from the center dividers could be recycled, and reused for other construction projects, as well as concrete sidewalks, and concrete parking blocks.

By implementing similar measures here in California, we can help save countless animal lives and reduce road accidents caused by sudden animal appearances on highways. It's not just about protecting wildlife – it's also about ensuring driver safety.

Please join me in urging Caltrans to take action now - sign this petition today!