Whereas 100,000 drivers barrel down Interstate 25 in Colorado every day, moose, mountain lions, elk, deer, bears and pronghorn are fortunately hoofing proper over their heads.
The Greenland Wildlife Overpass, a lush, landscaped bridge spanning the six-lane freeway between Fort Rock and Monument, has given Colorado’s wildest residents their very own 200-by-209-foot overpass whereas connecting 39,000 acres of habitat that the interstate had lengthy divided, in accordance with the Colorado DOT.
The overpass, which opened in December and is the most important in North America, was constructed for good purpose: that very same stretch of I-25 averaged one wildlife-vehicle collision each single day — some lethal.
Mary Rodriquez, 43, misplaced her father, Victor, when a passing automotive hit a 700-pound elk, launching it into the air and thru his windshield.
“He was killed instantly,” Mary advised CBS Information Colorado. “We try desperately to deal with dropping him.”
In 2021, Congress handed the bipartisan infrastructure legislation, which established the Wildlife Crossing Program after figuring out that there have been greater than 1 million wildlife-vehicle collisions yearly throughout the US.
“The I-25 Greenland overpass is a momentous feat,” mentioned Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. “Colorado is main the way in which in lowering wildlife-vehicle collisions, and defending important habitat for generations to come back.”
The challenge obtained $22 million from the feds and one other $8 million from the state, however was accomplished for about $15 million and completed in only one 12 months.
“We’re utilizing the remaining cash determining easy methods to reinvest that cash into the hall, and one of many wants we’ve is constructing wildlife fencing alongside the freeway,” Colorado DOT Environmental Supervisor Chuck Attardo advised CBS Colorado.
The overpass is the capstone of the $419 million I-25 South Hole challenge — an 18-mile hall improve that added 4 new wildlife crossings and 28 miles of deer fencing, projected to chop animal-vehicle collisions by 90%. And the overpass fills the ultimate 3.7-mile hole in that system alongside considered one of Colorado’s busiest stretches of freeway, CDOT mentioned.
Whereas the overpass was first designed for elk and pronghorn, smaller species are utilizing it as properly, the division mentioned.
California is within the technique of constructing the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, a controversial challenge that’s run into main cash issues and run-ins.
A $23 million land bridge in Texas close to San Antonio has additionally been an amazing success — and at the least 19 states are actually busily within the technique of constructing wildlife crossings.
In New York, conservationists are prioritizing the Adirondack Northway I-78 for brand spanking new crossing buildings as a result of excessive collision charges. The Nature Conservancy and NYDOT put in a “critter shelf” inside a Route 12 culvert close to Boonville, permitting species like bobcats to go safely.
A 3rd New York challenge befell in 2024 when Jefferson County’s Wellesley Island State Park opened a brand new wildlife crossing culvert.
“It’s retains the motorists secure, and it retains the animals secure,” mentioned Rodriguez. “it’s a win-win for everybody.”
