A newly built wildlife crossing bridge stretches over a highway, with three mule deer walking across the top. Cars travel beneath the structure, and forested hills rise in the background. Construction equipment is still visible on the bridge, highlighting how quickly wildlife began using it.

Wildlife Overpass comes to California

Good Morning, Readers

I love good‑news stories, and there never seem to be enough of them. Recently I’ve shared updates about Colorado’s new wildlife overpass and the incredible success they’re seeing — fewer crashes, less carnage on the roads, and migratory animals like pronghorn returning to their historical routes.

Then I learned about Arizona. They already have more than twenty wildlife overpasses and tunnels. I had no idea they were so conservation‑forward, but apparently they’re planning another one because the existing crossings work so well.

And now California has joined in. Up in Siskiyou County, their new wildlife overpass isn’t even officially open yet, but it’s already proving its worth. Just 15 hours after construction wrapped, three mule deer crossed. They were followed by a bobcat… and then a black bear.

I guess it really is a case of: If you build it, they will come.

A forested highway runs beneath a wide wildlife overpass covered in soil and vegetation. Dense pine trees surround the scene, and a snow‑capped mountain rises in the background under a bright blue sky.

A Wildlife Overpass for the Ages

A Mile‑High Solution to a Down‑to‑Earth Problem

Yo, wildlife lovers—gather ‘round. Did you know that Colorado, the state where the air is thin, the mountains are tall, and the recreational marijuana is… well, very recreational, is building one of the world’s largest wildlife overpasses? Yes indeed. Leave it to Colorado to say, “Hey, what if we just let the elk do their thing—safely—and vibe their way across the interstate?”

Grizzly 399 and cubs -Wyoming Photo Credit Deb Neumann

I first heard about wildlife crossings in Canada, where they’ve been quietly helping critters avoid becoming roadkill for years. Sometimes it’s a tunnel under a highway; sometimes it’s a lush, green overpass that looks like a national park decided to take a nap on top of a bridge. Either way, the goal is simple: stop the heartbreaking (and frankly messy) carnage we see on roads every year. From squashed squirrels to majestic elk and even bears—vehicle collisions take a toll. Grizzly 399 in Wyoming, a beloved icon, was tragically killed by a vehicle accident. These crossings matter.

The Biggest, Boldest Overpass Yet

Colorado’s new wildlife overpass is being built across I‑25 near the Greenland interchange between Larkspur and Monument. And this isn’t just any overpass—this will be the world’s largest wildlife structure over a major roadway. Leave it to Colorado to go big or go home. Maybe it’s the altitude. Maybe it’s the edibles. Who’s to say.

This massive structure will span six full lanes of interstate traffic. Imagine elk strolling over rush hour like they’re on a scenic hiking trail while commuters below sip coffee and wonder why they didn’t choose a simpler life in the woods.

Why Overpasses Work (Especially for the Big Guys)

Before this system began construction, this stretch of I‑25 saw an average of one wildlife‑vehicle crash per day. One. Every. Day. The new crossing system—overpass plus underpasses—is expected to reduce those crashes by up to 90%.

Smaller animals tend to use the tunnels, but elk and other large game? They’re not fans of enclosed spaces. Tunnels don’t accommodate their antlers, their line of sight, or their general “I need room to strut” energy. Overpasses, with open views and natural vegetation, are their preferred runway.

A Win for Wildlife and Drivers Alike

This project is a reminder that conservation doesn’t always require grand speeches or sweeping legislation. Sometimes it’s as simple—and brilliant—as giving animals a safe path home. Colorado’s leading the way, and honestly, I hope more states follow suit.

After all, if we can build bridges for people, why not build them for the creatures who were here long before the interstates arrived?