After years of increasing animal collisions in Wyoming, officials imagined a way to help. A wildlife crossing is currently under construction below a section of Interstate 25. And despite only just breaking ground in late 2023, it has already saved countless critters’ lives.
A portion of I-25 between Buffalo and Kaycee is the state’s second-deadliest stretch of highway for mule deer, with vehicles killing up to 40 being each year. As of now, construction crews have completed 60% of the project, which will cover 36 miles. They estimate that it could be finished by this summer.
The concept works with the help of fencing that directs animals to safe “agricultural underpasses.” WYldlife Fund president Chris McBarnes says animals have been regularly using the crossings that are partially in place.
The state built existing agricultural underpasses for farmers and ranchers who needed a safe way to move their livestock and equipment across the highways that cut through fields. Some animals were already routing through the tunnels on their own, but officials needed a way to direct more.