Wildlife in the Gap

One of the unique and historic characteristics about the Gap is the variety and quantity of wildlife. And while viewing wildlife along the corridor is sometimes enjoyable to see and something unique to Colorado, wildlife can also contribute to serious accidents.

To mitigate the negative impact of wildlife on the roadway, CDOT has worked hand-in-hand with Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) to study, gather data and develop solutions. As part of that work, 12 trail cameras were deployed along I-25 between mile point (MP) 172 and MP 162 to determine the diversity of wildlife present and capture travel patterns.

CDOT and CPW also analyzed locations along the corridor where wildlife collisions were highest, areas of expected wildlife movements, existing game trails, culverts, drainages, and existing bridges. Data collection is expected to continue through the end of the year.

The goal of this data is to develop plans to improve safety and alleviate crashes with wildlife.

Wildlife on the Move