Turtle fence needs repairs: M-Dot responds to your comments

Sections of the black chain linked turtle fence in Muskegon County are twisted, bent and broken.

[JNH]

I rather spend tax dollars on a turtle fence than waste it on Granmoles welfare programs...

[run em down]

hopefully some will still get thru that assanine fence....I'll hit and swerve to hit every damn one I see

[Sue]

Car insurance companies pay for the repairs on the GREAT TURTLE FENCE!!! Who pays for the INSURANCE??? We, the consumers do! OH, federal funds paid for the fence in the first place...not state funds! Where did the "funds" come from to begin with? Why make it sound like "the everyday Joe" didn't pay for all of this? This ends up being money out of MY pocket...is it not??? I could use some of this money BACK into MY pocket...not being spent on turtle fences or any other hair brain idea somebody comes up with!!!

[Kelly From Muskegon]

I drive through that stretch of highway everyday, and not once have I seen a squashed turtle on it. You say it is not the tax payers money that repairs it but in the end with insurance companies paying for we end up paying it somehow. Also, this money was so called set aside for road projects and it had to be used up or we lose it. Fine, lose it and put it somewhere where it is needed! Such as potholes!

[Paula]

Right, car damage. Those of us who know better know that those poor, sex starved turtles who are trying to cross US 31 for mating purposes, have been overeating uncontrollably to the point where they are now giant turtles, the size of small SUV's and are breaking through that fence to fulfill their God-given desire to procreate! Drivers beware!! These giant turtles may overtake you at any moment during your morning commute. Of course, your auto insurance will cover the damages, so no need to worry about some poor tax payer picking up the cost of your turtle-collision damage. That would be under the comprehensive portion of your policy, collision with a giant animal, so EVERYONE please call your insurance agent TODAY to lower those comprehensive deductibles!(Win-win for everyone, right? More money for the turtle fence, more money for the insurance agent, and more money for the poor, starving insurance adjusters who need to put their 15 kids through college.) Lord, what were they thinking?!

[Ellen]

Aren't we lucky to be able to save both turtles and peoples lives! If you don't drive the "river flats" regularly you don't see the cars off the road, down the bank, and into the water in the winter, nor do you drive by the 200 dead turtles or worse not quite dead turtles. I am grateful that both the turtles and I are much safer now.

[Paula]

PS... Forgot to mention that this is actually part of the Bush economic stimulis plan... Before long, we will be able to end unemployment by hiring all of the unemployed of Michgan to fix the fence, clean up turtle debris, and provide nutritional education for the now-overweight turtles, as well as providing medication for their sexual dysfunction and depression.

[Paula]

Whoops... I guess it didn't like the word "sex**l dysfunction", should have just said Viagra and Prozac.:o)

[dan muskegon]

at least it will be alot easyer for prisoner to pick up trash

[Lori]

Either way, the fence is just too close to the edge of the highway. Taxpayers won't have to pay for the repairs - but insurred drivers will.

[Shelle]

I was wondering why they built a fence to begin with. Isn't it an instinct for turtles to go where they need to go? Won't it kill them when they can't reach there designated spot? Why wouldn't they just slow down traffic on the road, that time of year? People need to realize if turtles and other animals can't survive in this world because of what humans have done to it, we won't be here too much longer either.

[Paul]

The fence is so close to the highway that anyone that goes off the road they will take it out, not only is it ugly to look at, but all the years i have been up and down the highway i don't recall Turtles on the road, at least the fence company will keep busy every year!!!!!!!

[Curious]

To bad we can't put up a fence for the illegal aliens! Once they cross to our side they breed like rabbits, not turtles.

[scambuster]

Paula wrote:

Right, car damage. Those of us who know better know that those poor, sex starved turtles who are tryingw to cross US 31 for mating purposes, have been overeating uncontrollably to the point where they are now giant turtles, the size of small SUV's and are breaking through that fence to fulfill their God-given desire to procreate! Drivers beware!! These giant turtles may overtake you at any moment during your morning commute. Of course, your auto insurance will cover the damages, so no need to worry about some poor tax payer picking up the cost of your turtle-collision damage. That would be under the comprehensive portion of your policy, collision with a giant animal, so EVERYONE please call your insurance agent TODAY to lower those comprehensive deductibles!(Win-win for everyone, right? More money for the turtle fence, more money for the insurance agent, and more money for the poor, starving insurance adjusters who need to put their 15 kids through college.) Lord, what were they thinking?!

Haha!

[MamaTod]

My family and I are wondering why the fence was built so high? Are these giant climbing turtles (which would explain why there is a protective cushion on the top...to protect their little tummies as they go over) or perhaps special spring-loaded turtles who can jump like deer? Perhaps both species live there and that explains their protected species status.

For the money spent we taxpayers could have paid someone to sit and watch for turtles and then carry them across; that option would have helped lower the unemployment rate too.

I totally agree with the other commentators. What a waste of money, but our governor and the MDOT don't live in the real world and they can't understand that.

[Gregd548]

Well, since the environmentalists are responsible for getting the federal requirement in place mandating the fences, and since the funding for same comes through them, make them cover the costs of repairs. And, if the idiots who are sliding off the road there would learn to slow down and drive sensibly, there would be no repairs needed in the first place. Perhaps the elected representative who's so concerned with this issue should read up on the law so he knows what he's talking about, and if he doesn't like the law do something to change it. Fortunately there's an election coming up so maybe we'll get someone in his place who is able to tackle some of the more pressing, more important issues facing us.

[She Devil]

Why didn't they use woven wire fence like they do everywhere else? Or chicken wire? It would have been alot cheaper.(not that I agree with the fence in the first place) It just seems like an overinflated price.

[Paula]

Paul wrote:

The fence is so close to the highway that anyone that goes off the road they will take it out, not only is it ugly to look at, but all the years i have been up and down the highway i don't recall Turtles on the road, at least the fence company will keep busy every year!!!!!!!

The fence was built because the turtles were crossing US 31 in an effort to mate and were apparently being run over.

[Paula]

Shelle wrote:

I was wondering why they built a fence to begin with. Isn't it an instinct for turtles to go where they need to go? Won't it kill them when they can't reach there designated spot? Why wouldn't they just slow down traffic on the road, that time of year? People need to realize if turtles and other animals can't survive in this world because of what humans have done to it, we won't be here too much longer either.

Sorry, Paul, my reply was meant for Shelle.

[Tired in Muskegon]

The small amount of turtles that do wind up getting killed on the highway is nothing compared to the amount of damage that this fence is causing the cars that have slid into it! The wrecker drivers in Muskegon (I happen to be married to one) saw this coming before the fence was built... maybe the powers that be should have asked the people in the area what they thought... at least we have some common sense! By messing with the natural order, in time we will be over run with the turtles. They have been doing things "their way" for many years. We should have left them alone. Here's another thought... what about the idiots that drive with no insurance? Who is going to pay for their share?