At Green Foothills, protecting Coyote Valley has long been a top priority — not just for its open space and farmland, but for the wildlife that depend on this landscape to survive. That’s why we’re encouraged by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s (VTA) recent action to launch the Coyote Valley Wildlife Crossing Project, a major step toward reducing wildlife deaths and reconnecting critical habitat in south Santa Clara County.
On January 8, 2026, the VTA Board approved a contract for HDR Engineering to begin the design and planning of wildlife crossing structures across U.S. Highway 101, Monterey Road, and nearby rail lines. These crossings are essential for helping wildlife safely navigate across the valley.
Roadkill Hotspots in a Critical Wildlife Corridor
Coyote Valley is one of the most important wildlife movement corridors in the Bay Area, connecting the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Diablo Range. Wildlife crossing the valley must go over or under Monterey Road and Highway 101 and cross railway lines as well. Wildlife-vehicle collisions are tragically common here, posing serious risks to both animals and people. A 2021 UC Davis Road Ecology Center study found that a one-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 101 near Coyote Creek ranks in the top 5% statewide for wildlife-vehicle collision costs per mile — a sobering indicator of how dangerous this corridor has become.
Wildlife crossings are structures that provide safe passage for animals traveling under roads, rail lines, and other thoroughfares. When paired with strategic fencing, they can dramatically reduce collisions by guiding animals to safe passage points and keeping them out of traffic lanes.
Protecting Wildlife Now and for the Future
The planned wildlife undercrossings will help preserve and restore safe movement for a wide range of species, including large mammals, small mammals, and sensitive amphibians and reptiles. The crossings are especially designed to serve eight focal species that frequently cross the valley, including mountain lions, bobcats, black-tailed deer, American badgers, California ground squirrels, Northwestern pond turtles, California tiger salamanders, and California red-legged frogs.
For wide-ranging species like these, safe crossings are essential for maintaining genetic diversity and avoiding isolation. For newts, salamanders, and turtles, which often move slowly and seasonally between habitat areas, even a single road crossing can be fatal without protected passage.
By accommodating these species, the crossings will also benefit countless other species that share the same habitat.
A Connected Landscape Benefits Everyone
Coyote Valley supports over a million acres of protected lands across the region and plays a vital role in climate resilience, flood protection, and biodiversity. Wildlife don’t recognize city or county boundaries — but roads and rail lines can stop them cold.
That’s why collaboration is so important. Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), the City of San José, the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, and other partners have spent years protecting land and planning for landscape connectivity in Coyote Valley. The selection of the Fisher Creek and Monterey Road area as the first wildlife undercrossing location is the result of years of extensive scientific study and on-the-ground research into where animals are most at risk.
Construction on the first crossing could begin as early as 2028, depending on funding, with additional phases to follow.
Why Green Foothills Supports This Project
At Green Foothills, we advocate for solutions that protect nature while keeping communities safe. Wildlife crossings do both. They reduce deadly collisions, preserve biodiversity, and help ensure that Coyote Valley continues to function as a living, connected landscape rather than a fragmented one.
As traffic pressures increase and climate change intensifies, projects like this are no longer optional — they’re essential. We will continue to support policies and investments that prioritize wildlife, open space, and the long-term health of Coyote Valley.
This project represents real progress, and we’re proud to stand with our partners in working toward a safer future for wildlife and people alike.
A version of this article was published on the Protect Coyote Valley website on 1/15/26.