Colorado Agencies & Southern Ute Tribe Announce New Wildlife Overpass Project
DURANGO, Colo. (CBS4) - Colorado wild animals are getting a helping hand as they hoof it across U.S. 160 between Durango and Pagosa Springs. Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Colorado Department of Transportation partnered with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe to develop a wildlife overpass and underpass.
The goal is to prevent vehicles colliding with animals by 85%.
"This is a heavily used corridor by vehicles and an important area in the San Juan Basin for big game," Scott Wait, senior CPW aquatic biologist, said. "Deer and elk spend the warm months in the high country to the north; but most big game move to the important winter range areas south of the highway during the winter. So there is a huge number of deer and elk that cross the highway at that location."
Construction on the $11 million project is expected to begin in the spring of 2021 and be complete by that fall. It will span for approximately two miles on U.S. 160 between mile points 126-128.
More than 60 above or under highway structures for wildlife have been built throughout the state, CPW says.
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