New Wildlife Overpass in Arizona
The Arizona Department of Transportation begins construction of the Willard Springs Wildlife Overpass. The I-17 interstate corridor in particular, passes through the Coconino National Forest and is home to elk, deer, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, black bears and mountain lions.
The first step is the installation of 26 girders and once the overpass deck is in place, crews will install native vegetation and landscape to encourage animals to use the bridge.
The project was largely funded by an initiative from the Federal Highway Administration’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program. The entire wildlife overpass is expected to be finished by fall of 2026.
According to a 2021 Arizona DOT study “about 27 percent of all crashes in a 17-mile stretch of I-17 south of Flagstaff involved elk, mule deer, or black bear. The report concluded that a wildlife vehicle collision occurs at least twice a year along each mile of interstate. The agency added that vehicle wildlife collisions in Arizona killed four people and injured 241 people in 2023.”
This is a step to better protect animals and travelers on highways near wildlife.
