Animal-only culvert TCV4 might have been the first animal crossing built under Terry Fox Drive. The vegetation is beginning to cover both tunnel entrances. In a perfect design, it was hoped that city staff would keep the vegetation back from the tunnel entrances. That vegetation might allow the animals to climb above the tunnel and into the dangerous vehicular traffic.
This is an animal-only terrestrial tunnel. The culvert carries no water feature. The culvert was placed here to match one of the routes that was being used by the Blanding's turtles before the road was built. The bottom of this tunnel has topsoil for a base with randomly scattered logs, a more natural environment. Cobblestones have been placed at both tunnel entrances.
TCV4 is the tunnel of choice for the porcupines. The other animals which have been tracked through this crossing include frogs, raccoons, rabbits, snakes, mice, and weasels.
The parking co-ordinates that are posted below refer to the shoulder on the north side of Terry Fox Drive, immediately west of the end of the curb, just beyond one of this tunnel's skylights (N 45° 20.27 W 075° 56.577). For years, I have used this parking spot as my personal access point to explore the South March Highlands Conservation Forest.
You may wish to park in the lot (N 45° 20.256 W 075° 56.52) for the new St Isabel Catholic School. From that lot, it is a simple bushwhack to the south entrance of the animal crossing.
During the environmental studies which took place before the extension of Terry Fox Drive was built, it was discovered that harm would be done to the environment of a species at risk, the Blanding's turtles. One hundred Blanding's turtles were counted in the South March Highlands and the Kizell drainage areas. The movements of the turtles were tracked. Ten crossings under Terry Fox Drive were designed and constructed.
As part of a Wildlife Guide System (WSG), ten long box culverts were built under the four lane road. Three skylights were created in each culvert tunnel, allowing sunshine and improved airflow to warm up the concrete walls and cobblestone-and-gravel-and-soil floors for the cold-blooded animals. Stone walls and animal fencing were built between the tunnels, directing the animals to the crossings. This was likely the first time in Ontario that a WSG was developed before a road was built.
After the extension to Terry Fox Drive was opened to traffic in 2010, the Dillon Consulting group spent three years monitoring the animal traffic through the animal crossings and the reduction in road kills on Terry Fox Drive. Dillon Consulting's Wildlife Guide System Monitoring Study (2014) is available on line.