Horses, Highways, and a Heap of Fencing
Reno, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that wild horses and motorists should no longer play a game of “Guess Who Gets Hurt First” along the Virginia Foothills. To this noble end, the city has forked over a cool $702,000 to a company called Soli-Tech, which sounds like a business that ought to be selling futuristic toasters, but apparently, they also know their way around a fence post.
Christened the Horse Protection Project—South Phase, it will get new fencing, cattle guards, and a few gates installed along NV 341 from Kenneth Way to Toll Road. In plain English: the horses stay on their side, the humans stay on theirs, and everybody learns that concrete and wire can be a mighty fine substitute for common sense.
The North Phase, done last May, already proves that horses can indeed get gathered without any lawsuits erupting, so naturally, the South Phase is going into effect with the finishing touches this summer. The money from the General Capital Projects Fund, with NDOT agreeing to reimburse the city. Or, in other words, someone else’s money is paying for the privilege of keeping our four-legged friends from taking a joyride on the highway.
City officials say the project is “aimed at keeping drivers, pedestrians, and wild horses safe.” And who could argue? It’s a rare day when a horse looks both ways before crossing a road, and one can only hope the fences will teach them manners.
All told, it’s a testament to modern civilization: a few hundred thousand dollars, a few miles of fence, and the eternal struggle to keep nature politely contained, at least until the next wild idea comes along.
