Turtles Run Over by Drivers in Eden Prairie

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - Turtles are being killed along the highway in Eden Prairie by drivers.

On the frontage road along Interstate 494 near Highway 169, you'll find turtles and a lot of them.

More than a dozen dead turtles were spotted on a mile stretch of road Thursday alone. Tai Carpenter has driven by there every day for three years on her way to work.

"This is the first time I’ve seen a lot of them,” said Carpenter. “During this time last year, I really didn't see any of them."

It’s believed they came from nearby Anderson Lakes.

Leslie Stovring is Eden Prairie's environmental coordinator. She says about this time every year, turtles are a problem.

"It startled me that we were seeing so many turtles leaving this area," said Stovring.

She says they are migrating to dry land to find areas to lay their eggs. With more reports than usual this year, the city put up a temporary wall along Highway 169 to avoid what drivers are seeing.

"There’s no chance of the turtles moving away from the traffic or being rescued once they are on the highway, so keeping them on the ground on the other side of the fence will at least give us a chance to get out there and move turtles before they are struck by cars."

Unfortunately, they are making their way to some roads. There are two types of turtles, painted turtles which are the friendlier and snapping turtles which can be dangerous.

"They will grab on to you and have a very strong and powerful jaw, so you want to stay away from those."