Drivers once hit a wild animal about once a day on a stretch of highway between Colorado\u2019s two most populous cities, Denver and Colorado Springs.<\/p>\n
In the roughly 10 months since North America\u2019s largest wildlife overpass opened across Interstate 25 between Larkspur and Monument, drivers have hit two animals, according to state wildlife managers and transportation officials \u2014 a 91% drop.<\/p>\n
The crossing system includes a 209-by-200-foot bridge, five wildlife underpasses and miles of fencing designed to funnel animals toward the crossings. Together, they give everything from 700-pound elk to tiny toads a safer way across the six lanes of highway that cuts between 39,000 acres of habitat.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are thrilled,\u201d said Bridget O\u2019Rourke, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. \u201cWildlife overpasses and underpasses and funneling animals to have a safe path across the roads, it\u2019s been statistically proven that it\u2019s successful.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/I-25-Overpass-Greenland_coyotes-running_08.2026-1-1200x659.png\")
Coyotes are seen running near the Interstate 25 overpass in August 2026. In the roughly 10 months since North America\u2019s largest wildlife overpass opened across Interstate 25 between Larkspur and Monument, drivers have hit two animals, according to state wildlife managers and transportation officials \u2014 a 91% drop. (Photo provided by Colorado Department of Transportation)<\/p>\n
The $15 million project, completed last December, was a collaboration between state engineers and wildlife biologists to help animals safely cross one of Colorado\u2019s busiest highway corridors<\/a>, in an area where big game frequently move.<\/p>\n Animals like elk, deer and pronghorn start to migrate through lower elevations as food sources begin to dwindle at higher elevations, O\u2019Rourke said. This year\u2019s drought and wildfires have caused some animals to start moving a few weeks earlier than previous years, including bears, which have been scrounging for food anywhere they can find it<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The end of daylight saving time also causes a sharp spike in wildlife-vehicle collisions because earlier winter sunsets overlap directly with evening rush hour commutes and peak animal migration seasons.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we just have to be aware that the Colorado human population is increasing and we are encroaching on wildlife habitat,\u201d O\u2019Rourke said.<\/p>\n The overpasses are designed for larger animals, but through surveys and trail cameras, biologists have spotted even smaller ones, like bunnies and northern leopard frogs<\/a> \u2014 which have seen dramatic declines in population over the last few years earning a protected status \u2014 using the crossings.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a huge win,\u201d O\u2019Rourke said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pronghorn spent decades traveling along I-25 searching for a crossing and in June, biologists confirmed a pronghorn safely crossed the interstate for the first time in 20 to 30 years, Lisa Schwantes, a regional communications manager for the Colorado Department of Transportation, told The Colorado Sun. Additional tracking data shows that pronghorn are also using underpasses.<\/p>\n Data shows the overpass is not just saving animals\u2019 lives, but also reducing crashes that can be traumatic, dangerous and costly for drivers, she said. Fewer crashes also mean fewer law enforcement and maintenance workers required to divert traffic. Data shows that travel delays along the corridor have dropped by about 9%.\u00a0<\/p>\n CDOT tracks roadkill and wildlife-animal collisions through Colorado State Patrol troopers who respond to crashes and then report them and state maintenance workers who either see the carcasses themselves or respond to reports from drivers, Schwantes said. CDOT maintenance crews track every carcass they move off the highway, from large mammals like elk and deer to smaller critters, like foxes and raccoons.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI just think it\u2019s a fascinating thing that we can all work together to decrease wildlife collisions,\u201d Scwantes said.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/CO9_MooseCrossingOverpass_Richert090916-1-e1791912987377-1200x727.jpg\")
A moose safely crosses Colorado 9 using a wildlife overpass. Such crossings have helped reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, including a 91% reduction over Interstate 25 between Larkspur and Monument. (Photo provided by Colorado Parks and Wildlife)<\/p>\n