A major road in the German city of Bielefeld has closed for four months to allow construction of underground toad crossings, German newspaper Bild reported. The project includes 12 planned tunnels for amphibians and has been allocated 1.7 million euros.
Work on the project will close a section of Dornberger Strasse measuring about 700 meters long. Drivers must take a 14-kilometer detour that adds approximately 25 minutes to travel times.
Local reaction and wildlife protection
Before the construction, volunteers had to manually carry roughly 3,000 toads and frogs across the street every spring. The new underground passages are designed to help the amphibians cross the busy roadway safely.
Local residents expressed dissatisfaction with the project. They stated that the road closure will negatively affect local businesses and force citizens to spend more time traveling.
