Access to the entrance road at Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve is being restricted to help protect turtles and other wildlife that live at the site, the Forest Preserve District of Will County said.

The preserve is expected to be temporarily closed while barricades are installed near the entrance, the forest preserve district said.

The barricades will prevent vehicles from traveling deeper into the preserve, where they could crush wildlife crossing Division Street, the forest preserve district said.

The action to partially close the street was requested by forest preserve district staff after recent data collection at the site showed increased turtle deaths caused by vehicles on the roadway, the forest preserve district said.

Turtle mortalities have been documented on Division Street from April through July, Juli Mason, the forest preserve’s director of conservation programs, said in a news release posted by the district.

“Turtles are especially vulnerable while moving to nesting areas, including roadside habitats, which occurs primarily from May through July,” Mason said.

“Protecting adult females during this period is particularly important for maintaining these small populations,” she said.

The work was originally expected to take place this week, but has been delayed. The preserve remains open at this time.

Once the work is completed, the preserve will reopen during normal hours, from 8 a.m. to sunset, the forest preserve district said. Parking will be allowed along the shoulders west of the barricades and east of Illinois Route 53, and visitors will be allowed to pass the barricades on foot, the forest preserve district said.

Signs stating Wildlife Crossing Sensitive Natural Area will be installed to let visitors know that vehicular traffic is not allowed beyond the barricades, the forest preserve district said.

The Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Board approved earlier this month an intergovernmental agreement with the Lockport Township Road District, which has jurisdiction over Division Street, to coordinate the partial road closure.