A GTA Road Will Keep Having Closures Over The Next Few Weeks & It's Because Of Salamanders

Narcity.com
March 22, 2022

If you commute through the Richmond Hill area, your travel plans are about to get tricky, why you ask? For salamanders, of course.

York Region posted to Twitter on Monday that it would be temporarily shutting down parts of Stouffville Road to allow Jefferson Salamanders, an endangered species, to make their way to breeding grounds.

The amphibians reportedly migrate during this time of year, specifically during rainy nights.

Between Bayview Avenue and Leslie Street, Stouffville Road will have "intermittent night closures" from March 25 to April 10 from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., with signs posted to help guide affected motorists. However, local access will be maintained.

"The closures will only occur during rain events when most salamanders complete their migration," an excerpt from the report reads.

To get more specific, the section of Stouffville Road where the salamanders will make their journey is located within the Oak Ridges Moraine Natural Core Area.

"The Jefferson Salamanders natural habitat requires many of the features found in some areas of the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment, including undisturbed natural forests, rocky outcrops, wetlands, and ponds," the news release adds.

The solution is only a temporary fix as York Region also revealed that it's planning to construct a wildlife passage to recognize the environmental significance of the area.

As bizarre as it may seem, Richmond Hill is home to one of the few known populations of Jefferson Salamanders. The creatures actually serve as an indicator of healthy forests and ecosystems in the community.