The HWY 17 wildlife tunnel at Laurel Curve provides long-ranging wildlife — most notably black-tailed deer and mountain lions — with safe passage under the heavily trafficked highway. The UCSC Puma Project and Pathways for Wildlife used information from collared pumas, wildlife cameras, and animal-vehicle collision data to determine this area as the optimal location for a wildlife crossing. Their report garnered support and buy-in from Caltrans, elected officials, several major funders, and the surrounding community.

In 2014 the Land Trust took the first step by protecting a 10-acre property off Laurel Road, eventually protecting 790 acres around the site.

The stretch of highway at Laurel Curve is built over large natural drainage, creating the ideal place to install a large box culvert. The roadway above serves as a bridge. The undercrossing is wider and more welcoming for wildlife than a tunnel.

The unique partnership created a new mitigation incentive framework for conservation and wildlife protection projects in California, paving the way for SB790. The law supports the implementation of wildlife crossings statewide using the model pioneered on this project