- A new overpass will be built over some of the northern beaches’ busiest roads
- The 40-metre wide overpass will link Ku-ring-gai and Gargigal National Parks
- The bridge will be covered in vegetation to encourage the animals to cross road
Australia’s native wildlife are being encouraged to cross some of the busiest highways with specially built overpasses costing taxpayers millions.
A new bridge is being built for animals in Sydney’s northern beaches at Mona Vale Road, costing $7.5 million.
The 40-metre wide overpass will link Ku-ring-gai and Gargigal National Parks in an attempt to decrease the number of road kill.
A new bridge is being built for animals in Sydney’s northern beaches at Mona Vale Road, costing $7.5 million (pictured, 9 News)
The 40-metre wide overpass will link Ku-ring-gai and Gargigal National Parks (pictured, 9 News) in an attempt to decrease the number of road kill
The overpass will be covered with native vegetation to coax the animals to ‘eat’ their way across the road (pictured)
The overpass will be covered with native vegetation to coax the animals to ‘eat’ their way across the road, 9 News reported.
‘We want to ensure that area, surrounded by two National Parks – a very important area, part of the lungs of Sydney – that we protect that native wildlife by putting in the appropriate infrastructure to protect them into the future,’ NSW Roads Minister Melinda Pavey said.
The wildlife bridge is the first of its kind in Sydney and is hoped to prevent the high number of road kill.
Many animals, including possums, koalas and wallabies, are often killed by cars along the stretch of Mona Vale Road.
‘We’ll have fences along the side so animals can’t drop off onto the road,’ Jacqui Marlow of Pittwater Natural Heritage Association said.
The animal overpass is part of the Mona Vale Road West upgrade which includes widening the two lanes to four.
Many animals, including possums, koalas and wallabies, are often killed by cars along the stretch of Mona Vale Road