Incidental Take Notice For Ozaukee County
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposes to issue an authorization for the incidental taking of a rare snake, which may result from the replacement of the Cedar Creek Road bridge in Ozaukee County.
Incidental take refers to the unintentional loss of individual endangered or threatened animals or plants that does not put the species' overall population at risk.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s project consists of replacing the existing Cedar Creek Road Bridge structure (P-45-38) over Cedar Creek in the Town of Cedarburg with a wider structure and includes the reconstruction of the bridge approaches. The proposed improvements will look to balance the specific project needs including motorist and bicyclist safety, minimizing environmental impacts, and providing a cost-effective structural replacement of the existing structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridge. Construction on the project is anticipated to begin in March of 2027 and conclude by November of 2027.
The presence of the state endangered queensnake is confirmed in the vicinity of the project site. DNR staff determined that the proposed project may result in the incidental taking of some snakes.
Conservation measures to minimize the adverse effect on the species will be incorporated into the proposed Incidental Take Authorization and are detailed in the Jeopardy Assessment. They include using herp fencing to exclude project areas from snakes entering, having a permitted monitor onsite to relocate snakes, and onsite habitat restoration.
The DNR concludes that the proposed project will minimize the impacts to the species by adhering to conservation measures; is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence and recovery of the state population of the species or the whole plant-animal community of which it is a part; and has benefit to the public health, safety or welfare that justifies the action.
Copies of the Jeopardy Assessment and background information on the queensnake are available by visiting the DNR Incidental Take Public Notices webpage or upon request from DNR Conservation Biologist Stacy Rowe at 608-228-9796 or Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov.
The public is encouraged to submit written comments regarding project-related impacts to the queensnake by July 15, 2026 to:
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
c/o Stacy Rowe, DNR Conservation Biologist
2514 Morse St.
Janesville, WI 53545
Stacy.Rowe@wisconsin.gov or 608-228-9796
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