HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.a. Turtle Traffic Discussion
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Environmental & Sustainability Commission Meeting: June 16, 2020
AGENDA SECTION:
AGENDA ITEM: Turtle Traffic Discussion
New Business
PREPARED BY: Jane Byron, Storm Water Specialist AGENDA NO. 7.a.
ATTACHMENTS: Complaint email, Location map APPROVED BY: BLE
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discussion only.
DISCUSSION:
May 29, 2020, the City of Rosemount received an email complaint regarding fatal wildlife traffic
interactions along Bonaire Path near Mare Lake in Meadows and Horseshoe Lake Parks. The City decided
to bring the issue forward for discussion with the ESC and the internal Traffic Safety Committee. The
Traffic Safety Committee is tentatively scheduled to meet on June 16.
Upon investigation, some of the nearby trails are part of the Rosemount Greenway, a regional trail
planning effort spearheaded by Dakota County. The Rosemount Greenway Master Plan completed in
2017, recommends installation of an underpass estimated to cost $750,000 at some future date to connect
trails north and south of Bonaire Path in Meadows and Horseshoe Lake Parks. The Rosemount
Greenway Master Plan can be found at the following website:
https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/parks/About/TrailPlanning/Pages/rosemount.aspx.
SUMMARY:
No action required.
C:\\Users\\jab\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\7.a. Turtle Traffic Discussion_601043\\7.a. Turtle Traffic Discussion.docx
From: Sue Richey
Sent: Friday, May 29, 2020 10:18 AM
To: mastodon10@charter.net
Subject: Turtle troubles
To whom it may concern:
We have lived in Rosemount for almost twenty years and moved here for the beauty and nature of the area. There have
been many walks on gravel roads looking for wildlife. Way back when Bonaire Path was paved we expressed great
concern over the volume of dead turtles, unable to escape the road due to curbs and high traffic led to massive road
kills. Years ago we emailed the Rosemount City Hall about the situation and we were told that NOTHING could be done
to stop the carnage. We pleaded for at least a speed limit sign that would prohibit excessive speed (people consistently
ignore the posted speed limit on this road today) and we even suggested wildlife crossing signs, ramps or outlets for
wildlife/turtles to use as a byway between the two ponds separated by Bonaire. Much to our disappointment the three
years/spring and summers of us pleading for help fell on deaf ears, we were told nothing could be done. This seems
improbable, there is always room for a solution or alternative measures. Of note, there is a turtle fence on Hwy 3 built
last year which is so amazing, wish we could do something like that for our turtles on Bonaire. We need a solution other
than us doing ‘turtle patrol’ twice a day during the warm weather which may result in one successful rescue a week, but
mostly just finding crushed carcasses and a sense of defeat trying to help our wildlife just survive another summer trying
to cross the road.
Also, now that there is a larger community presence in this area we are seeing a huge increase in not only turtle deaths
but other wildlife. Please see pictures attached of one afternoon walk just last week, we stopped taking pictures after
counting to ten. Last year we documented around 30-40 dead turtles, babies, adults, snappers plus frogs, snakes,
muskrats and birds and just this last weekend a fox.
Please, if you can bring this forward to anyone that will listen, or cares about our precious resources and environment in
Rosemount please do so. Otherwise there will be no turtles left in this area which will be a sad day. Every summer this
breaks our hearts.
Thank you. Richey/Rupp household.
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R001.0
Turtle Fatalities Complaint Location
Trails
Sidewalk
Bituminous
Nature
June 11, 2020
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