Officials at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge said this week that on February 9 the west entrance gate (off US 31) to the refuge will permanently close to vehicle traffic. The primary entrance on U.S. Hwy. 50 will remain open and will be the only vehicle route in and out of the refuge.
The decision to close the west entrance was made to promote safety and improve the experience of Refuge visitors. Closing the entrance will eliminate the use of Refuge roads as a short-cut for highway traffic and ensure that motorists using the roads are there to visit the Refuge. The reduced traffic flow will contribute to a reduction in the conflicts between wildlife, commuters, and people viewing wildlife, officials said.
