Ecoducts

[Holland&Holland]

I work as an advisor for the ministry of transport and public works. I give advice with the broadening of existing roads (building more lanes) and construction of new roads, particular advice with nature in mind.

Because of this i may focus myself on the construction of ecoducts (for a part of my work load). An ecoduct is a "nature bridge" to give big game the oppurtunity to cross highways savely. For our country this is important because of the large amount of people and the lack of "free and green" space.

Therefore i visited a couple of these ecoducts yesterday to get a feeling how they look. The Netherlands has an exchange program with the baltic states on this matter called "partners for roads". Because of this i am going for a week to the Czjech republic in september and visit Czjech ecoducts. Nice to combine work with interest and all expences paid . Hopefully i get more of these nice trips in future. :blink:

To get an idea of ecoducts i post a couple of pictures of ecoducts and their "inhabitants".

[Suffolk shooter]

We have similar things here in the Uk for Hedgehogs/Badgers, but not to my knowledge for Deer. Given the curent climate overhere regarding the increase of the deer Population (All species), and the recent death of a Father and Daughter in Suffolk (2miles from me) these Ecoducts for deer might not be a bad idea, but given the vast amount of British Roads that Border Deer inhabitated land, this is going to be rather costly. It would be abetter idea for there to be a national survey of deer species in accident black spots and cull accordingly as well as make motorists more aware of travelling in such areas at certain times i.e. Dawn/Dusk

 

 

Good Pics though.

 

SS :blink:

[LEFTY478]

There's a masive one crossing the M25 around Waltham Abbey/Epping (junctions 26 & 27), IIRC it's about 1/2 mile wide, to allow animal transgression through Epping Forest and the surrounding area.

[Markio]

There's a masive one crossing the M25 around Waltham Abbey/Epping (junctions 26 & 27), IIRC it's about 1/2 mile wide, to allow animal transgression through Epping Forest and the surrounding area.

 

Interesting, i never knew that. I did look at that area once on windows Live Maps (good zoom level) and one of those bridges in that area have a gold course on it IIRC.

[Holland&Holland]

Our ecoducts we build now are solely for wildlife. No people are allowed to cross it. There where a couple build earlier for double use but the wildlife simply is disturbed by people too much. Cost of an ecoduct ranges from 2 million to 20 million pounds. Depends on the location (more or less hilly :blink: or flat as a pancake), the size of it all and which species it has to serve. We are building 9 of these big ones in the next few years just around the Veluwe.

[Suffolk shooter]

There's a masive one crossing the M25 around Waltham Abbey/Epping (junctions 26 & 27), IIRC it's about 1/2 mile wide, to allow animal transgression through Epping Forest and the surrounding area.

 

 

I've had a look on google earth and whilst I can see the holmsgate tunnel where the cricket pitch is as well as the one before that near the M11 I cannot see that either of these were/are ecoducts. Other smaller bridges that you can see crossing the M25 appear to be farm track access bridges.

 

It wouldn't surprise me however to find that deer and other animals used these anyway in the middle of the night, but they certainly aren't ecoducts :blink:

 

SS

[Gully]

I always wondered what was on the top of that tunnel. Was the cricket pitch there before the M25 was built?

 

[Suffolk shooter]

I always wondered what was on the top of that tunnel. Was the cricket pitch there before the M25 was built?

 

Not sure but the House or School or whatever was hence the tunnel and not a cut through, look at the other one further along as well.

 

SS