The contentious Matchette Road debate is coming back to city hall.

Windsor council will look at a few options, everything from wildlife crossing measures along the busy stretch of road to outright closure of Matchette, as a way to protect some 4,000 species at the Ojibway Prairie Complex and Nature Reserve.

But Windsor's mayor is looking at putting another big option on the table.

In an exclusive interview, Drew Dilkens tells CTV Windsor he wants to acquire more property for Ojibway.

"That environmentally sensitive land is Ojibway shores" says Dilkens. "We continue to have discussions with the port authority on how we might move forward with that type of project."

It's estimated the land purchase would cost $1.5-million, money that is already allocated in the 2016 capital budget.

The group Citizens Environmental Alliance supports any plan to help the animals cross Machette Road safely.

“These species cannot sustain these kinds of roadkill losses for much longer" says member Derek Coronado.

It's one of the reasons why council is looking at undertaking an environmental assessment next Monday to determine what to do along Matchette Road.

"We think they have to look at the full range of options, up to and including the closures of the road, but to get all questions answered, EA is what they have to conduct," says Coronado.

One of those options, the outright closure of Matchette, even on a pilot basis, is not an option supported  by Ward 1 councillor Fred Francis.

“A reasonable balanced compromise can be achieved with keeping the road open, but allowing for some kind of infrastructure enhancements that make it safer for the animals in and around the area," says Francis.

That would lead to the other option, building some form of land bridge, tunnel or eco-passage for wildlife to pass through.

“In 2017 is surely there are more options in front of us than to maintain status quo or to close entirely," says Francis.

But a bridge or tunnel for the animals would cost anywhere from$ 250,000 to $20 million.

Council will discuss the issue on Monday night.