I-25 Greenland Wildlife Overpass

About the Project

The Colorado Department of Transportation in collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Douglas County and other partners will build a wildlife overpass, crossing I-25 near the Greenland Interchange between Larkspur and Monument. This overpass will be one of the largest wildlife overpass structures in the U.S., built for big game animals such as elk, mule deer and pronghorn. The overpass will be strategically located to address the 3.7 mile gap from other wildlife crossings and will complete the wildlife crossing system of underpasses and fencing as a part of the I-25 South Gap project - which improved 18 miles of Interstate 25 from Castle Rock to Monument.

This overpass will span six lanes of interstate traffic, connecting 39,000 acres of habitat on both sides of I-25. The final bridge structure will measure 204 feet wide and will be constructed with wide gradually sloped entrances that invite wildlife to use the crossing. The overpass will tie into the existing 18-mile mitigation system between Colorado’s two most populous cities, Denver and Colorado Springs. The overpass location will connect wildlife corridors and preserve open space with good proximity to water. The location is also a known area for high movement of large game.

The overpass is a critical component of the overall wildlife crossing system that is expected to reduce wildlife-vehicle crashes along this stretch of I-25 by 90%. Prior to the system being built, there was an average of one wildlife-vehicle crash a day in this corridor. While the new underpasses are used by smaller animals, the overpass addresses specific needs for large game animals such as elk. They are known to avoid tunnels and enclosed structures that can’t accommodate their antlers and restrict mobility. They prefer open structures with clear sight lines.

A multi-agency partnership made the Greenland wildlife crossing possible along with a federal grant award that provides the bulk of the funding for the project. This project is one of 19 wildlife crossings in the U.S. Department of Transportation funded nationwide.

Project Benefits

• Improving safety and reducing property damage by decreasing the number of wildlife/vehicle collisions by 90%
• Providing a vital and safe connection for large game to cross I-25 in their natural habitat, addressing specific needs of elk and other large animals that need wide open areas to cross because they avoid tunnels, underpasses and enclosed areas
• Connecting 39,000 acres of big game habitat (Douglas County Land Conservancy) to more than one million acres of the Pike National Forest
• Completing the wildlife crossing network along I-25 from Monument to Castle Rock, which bisects the largest protected open space along Colorado’s front range between Fort Collins and Pueblo

Work Schedule

• Daytime working hours are 7 a.m. through 5 p.m.
• Nighttime working hours are 7 p.m. through 5 a.m.
• Overnight and weekend work is expected

Traffic Impacts

Motorists can expect the following impacts during the period of construction:

• Daytime and nighttime lane closures in both directions of I-25 near the work area
• Periodic nighttime Express Lanes closures on I-25
• Temporary lane realignments, narrowed lanes and reduced shoulders on I-25
• Reduced speeds through the work zone
• Signs will be posted to alert motorists to the closures and available detour routes
• Refer to COtrip.org for real-time travel conditions and road closures