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20h • 🦋Wildlife
Check Both Ways Before You Cross!
Today I learned about North America's largest wildlife overpass in Colorado and its incredible success in less than a year. The wildlife crossing system has already reduced animal-vehicle collisions by 91%! They were averaging one collision a day during peak wildlife movement seasons, so you can imagine the lives already being saved.
Here is the bridge I crossed researching this wonderful project.
The I-25 Greenland Wildlife Overpass opened in December 2025 near Larkspur, Colorado. This beautiful bridge stretches 200 feet wide and 209 feet long over six lanes of interstate traffic, reconnecting 39,000 acres of wildlife habitat that had been separated by the highway.
And it's not just a bridge! It's part of an 18-mile wildlife crossing system that includes five underpasses and fencing to guide animals toward safe crossings.
The bridge was specially designed for elk, pronghorn, mule deer and other wildlife. Its wide, gently sloping entrances are covered with soil and vegetation, creating a more natural path. The open design is especially important for elk and pronghorn, who prefer being able to see their surroundings rather than entering enclosed tunnels.
The fencing helps guide animals toward the crossings instead of onto the highway. Wildlife escape ramps also provide a way out for animals who accidentally end up on the roadway side of the fencing.
And the animals are using it! Wildlife cameras have recorded herds of elk crossing safely, along with pronghorn reaching the western side of I-25 for the first time in decades. Just imagine what reconnecting these habitats means for future generations of wildlife!
And, like you might be thinking right now, I too asked who's making all this possible.
The Colorado bridge cost approximately $15 million to construct, with most of the funding coming from a federal grant. Colorado's Department of Transportation, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Douglas County, conservation organizations and other partners worked together to make the project possible.
There's also a federal Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program that authorized $350 million between 2022 and 2026 to help states and communities build safer passages for wildlife.
And Colorado isn't the only one stepping up for the animals.
🦌 California: The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over Highway 101 is under construction, reconnecting habitat for mountain lions, bobcats, deer and other wildlife. Another crossing is being constructed over Highway 97 in Siskiyou County, especially for deer and elk.
🦌 Arizona: A wildlife overpass is being built over Interstate 17 south of Flagstaff, with completion anticipated in 2027.
🦌 Oregon: A new wildlife overpass is planned for Interstate 5 in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, with construction scheduled to begin in 2028.
More projects are being planned and funded, and Colorado is even introducing an optional $5 contribution during vehicle registration beginning in 2027 to help fund future wildlife crossings and habitat protection.
These crossings do so much more than prevent collisions. They reconnect habitats, allow animals to follow natural migration routes, find food and mates, and help maintain healthy wildlife populations for generations to come.
I love when we come together for the animals. This is a current and a future win all wrapped up in a beautiful bridge. ❤️🐾
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Check Both Ways Before You Cross!
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