New Hope for Safe Passage in Coyote Valley

Between San Jose and Morgan Hill lies Coyote Valley, one of the Bay Area’s last substantial, undeveloped valley floors and home to the largest remaining freshwater wetland in Santa Clara County. There, you’ll spot a mosaic of farmland and open spaces that provides wildlife with habitat and an essential route between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range. Sadly, to make the journey across the valley, animals must cross three busy barriers: a rail line, Monterey Road and U.S. Route 101.

The many studies that have explored how wildlife interact with Coyote Valley’s roads make a strong case for permanent crossing infrastructure there. This would aid animals like bobcats, mountain lions, black-tailed deer and American badgers as they move across the valley to find food, shelter and mates.

Now, propelled by a generous grant POST secured from the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), we are moving into an exciting new phase.

This $5 million grant will help fund the research, design and planning of possible crossing structures in the valley — contributing significantly to covering the project’s $7 million cost.

Getting here has been a long and challenging process. Coyote Valley has been at the heart of debate between developers and conservationists since the 1970s. For the last decade, POST has been working with many organizations to protect and restore the valley. We’ve protected thousands of acres of land with partners like the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, the City of San José and the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency. We are now focused on wildlife crossings, with the Authority leading the way on habitat restoration.

The WCB grant will span three years, allowing us to determine the most effective ways to provide animal passage in Coyote Valley. Without our help, we may face local species extinction and catastrophic consequences for our ecosystems.

Coyote Valley links 1.13 million acres of core habitat throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range to the east. Nearby, we have already seen successful connectivity projects like the recent crossing structure under Highway 17 at Laurel Curve.

The current study is exploring crossing structure possibilities along Monterey Road and U.S. Route 101, which are hotspots for wildlife-vehicle collisions. At this stage, we’re synthesizing data and identifying and evaluating solutions to improve safe passage for wildlife. Habitat restoration will be necessary, along with retrofits for existing underpasses, new crossing structures and directional fencing.

One Step Closer

The problems wildlife face as a result of human development are widespread, and POST’s work to improve wildlife connectivity is expanding. But as we’ve seen with other major projects like the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Los Angeles County, building new crossing structures requires complex planning, collaboration and, of course, funding. With WCB’s funding, we’re one step closer to safeguarding the Bay Area’s spectacular biodiversity and creating connections that will support our region for centuries to come.