Wildlife Jump-Out Ramps Repair Project Completed Along 241 Toll Road
Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), operator of The Toll Roads, announced the project completion of reconstruction and restoration work for 26 jump-out ramps as part of the Agencies’ wildlife protection measures along the 241 Toll Road. The jump-out ramps, damaged during wildfires in the region, serve as an additional safety measure to the 12-mile wildlife fencing to provide animals with access back into open space should they inadvertently end up on the roadside of the fence. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), who owns and maintains the facilities, managed reconstruction of the project.
In partnership with University of California, Davis — Wildlife Health Center, Caltrans and the U.S .Fish and Wildlife Service, TCA implemented a wildlife protection program in 2016 which resulted in new fencing and jump-out ramps along the 241 Toll Road. The fencing combined with existing culverts, undercrossings and jump-out ramps allow animals protected passage to open spaces on either side of the roadway. Due to a wildfire in South Orange County along the 241 Toll Road, many of the jump-out ramps were destroyed or damaged and needed repair.
In 2024, the year-long project commenced to reconstruct the ramps with steel frames and concrete to ensure the new ramps have greater resistance to wildfire events. For existing wooden ramp structures that were not destroyed by the fire, the Agencies enhanced the ramps with an additional protective measure of concrete covering. Ranging in height between six-to-seven feet, the jump-out ramps, strategically placed a half mile apart on northbound and southbound SR 241 (between Santiago Canyon Road and SR 91) were built low enough for animals to safely jump off, but high enough to discourage them from climbing over and onto the road. The jump-out ramps, in combination with the wildlife protection fencing and animal undercrossings that were constructed when the roads were initially built, have worked exceptionally well in protecting wildlife in the region, as well as drivers of The Toll Roads. To date, there have been no reported wildlife vehicle collisions within the project area since the completion of the additive wildlife protection measures.
“From the beginning, TCA has balanced construction and operation of The Toll Roads with protecting open spaces and wildlife habitat in Orange County. The safety of motorists and the Agencies’ efforts to support the natural movement of mountain lions, deer, bobcats and many other wildlife species is the highest priority,” shared Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (F/ETCA) Board Chair and Mission Viejo Councilmember Trish Kelley “After a devastating wildfire damaged these key wildlife protection structures, the Boards of Directors are pleased to see the jump-out ramps active again to ensure the Agencies are doing everything possible to protect wildlife. The success of these wildlife protection measures has garnered national and international recognition and continues to serve as a highly effective model to other agencies, demonstrating the right balance between environment and mobility.”
For more than 30 years the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) have been a leader and innovator not only in improving mobility in Orange County, but also in preserving and restoring open space for generations to come. TCA’s nationally recognized, award-winning environmental programs protect the natural resources of more than 2,100 acres of habitat and open space. To learn more about TCA environmental measures, please visit Environmental Commitment | The Toll Roads.
To view the Jump-Out Repair Project images, please visit: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC3Uye
The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) are two joint powers authorities formed by the California Legislature in 1986 to plan, finance, construct and operate Orange County’s public toll road system comprised of the 73, 133, 241 and 261 Toll Roads, which represents 20% of Orange County’s highway system.
