The expansion of Interstate 35 is set to displace more than 100 homes and businesses, yet the larger concern involves the thousands of bats forced to relocate, creating a conflict between urban development and wildlife conservation in Austin.
Conservationists argue that despite efforts by TxDOT to protect bats, such as creating new roosting spaces in future bridge designs, more proactive measures should be implemented during the demolition process to prevent harm.
TxDOT employs a controversial 'exclusion' method to evict bats from roosting areas by sealing crevices before demolition occurs, raising concerns among conservationists about the risk of bats being trapped.
According to estimates from the Austin Bat Refuge, bridges at Howard Lane and Wells Branch Parkway could be home to over 100,000 bats, highlighting the scale of wildlife affected by the expansion project.
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