University of Connecticut
IN-2: Innovation 2

With the design and construction of the new roadway that serves as a main entrance into the University, priority was given to protecting the land surrounding a high quality wetland habitat. In addition to the many amphibian and wildlife friendly features incorporated into the roadway design, 101 acres of land was placed into conservation thereby expanding the existing 64 acres of conservation land known as the Hillside Environmental Education Park (HEEP). The HEEP is an outdoor classroom made up of land surrounding a former landfill that the University remediated, capped and protected through a conservation effort. The HEEP originally comprised of 33 acres of wetlands and 31 acres of uplands as well as rehabilitated wetlands and woodlands. The 101 acre expansion results in 165 acres of protected wildlife areas including wetlands, vernal pools, and riparian zones.

Even in the very beginning planning stages, the University evaluated eight different road design alternatives to ensure the least impact on the surrounding wetland and riparian areas. Additionally, there is a low salt zone along part of the road that traverses areas which are sensitive to chemical changes induced by the addition of salts. Furthermore, the LED lights installed as part of this project direct the light along the roadway, minimizing the light pollution in the wetland areas that might otherwise affect amphibian migratory and mating patterns.

Especially innovative in the road planning process was the design and development of three wildlife corridors beneath the road. After identifying the species most vulnerable to the changes incurred by the construction project, most of which were found to be amphibians, road designers and other professionals monitored the paths most often used by the wildlife in order to inform their crossing designs and locations.

Of the three bridges that were designed as wildlife crossings, two are 78-foot bridges with 40-foot culverts, and are large enough for other wildlife, such as deer, to pass safely from one side of the road to the other. The bridges, themselves, have extended wing walls and work in conjunction with other plastic barriers designed to guide the animals under, rather than over the road. Gently sloped Cape Cod curbs were also employed in the design so that if amphibians or other small animals do get into the road, they are easily able to climb out.

Both the federal government and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Both the Federal government and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection require that the University monitor the wetlands for five years, at a minimum, after project completion to ensure the continued health and stability of the wetland systems and the wildlife in the area. The health of the wetlands will be evaluated based on the annual plant and animal population levels.
As part of the wetland monitoring, the University will also perform vernal pool surveys with the first survey performed during the spring of 2014 prior to the construction start. The spring 2015 vernal pool survey occurred during road construction activities. The findings of the 2015 survey were consistent with the 2014 Pre-Construction Vernal Pool Survey. The vernal pools must continue to support breeding populations of amphibians within the normal range for these specific habitats.