DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet and leaders with the Colorado Department of Transportation on Friday celebrated progress on the Greenland wildlife crossing on I-25 in Douglas County, saying the project is under budget and expected to finish ahead of schedule later this year.
The project, located at milepost 165.4 near the Greenland interchange on I-25, is set to become the largest wildlife overpass in the world. It will be about 80,000 square feet in size and span six lanes of interstate traffic, connecting 54 square miles of protected land and open space.
"This was very much needed in this area where we’ve previously been seeing about one collision a day," said Shoshana Lew, executive director of CDOT.
It’s a solution aimed at protecting both animals and drivers, state leaders say. More than 40 wildlife underpasses and three overpasses are among the more than 100 structures aimed at keeping animals off of busy roadways.
Last fall, Scripps News Denver went in-depth on wildlife crossings and the roughly 90% reduction in wildlife collisions they’ve accomplished.
So far in 2025, Colorado State Patrol (CSP) has responded to 1,600 crashes involving animals, according to the agency.
Trooper Sherri Mendez told Scripps News Denver that number has steadily increased since 2020.
"Everybody thinks it's just in rural areas. No, it's everywhere in Colorado. And we're here to warn people to be more cognizant of the roadways, because wildlife will come into the metro area," she said.
The Greenland Wildlife Overpass is the final stage of the I-25 South Gap Wildlife Crossing Project and was one of the top priorities for the Colorado Wildlife & Transportation Alliance because of the protection it will provide for herds of elk, mule deer and pronghorn in the area.
“This is obviously important for wildlife. That's critically important,” Sen. Bennet said Friday. “But it's also incredibly important for the public that travels up and down this highway.”
Construction began on the Greenland crossing at the beginning of this year.
The project initially carried a $30 million price tag, but officials on Friday said the cost will come in closer to $20 million. About $22 million was earmarked for the project in the federal Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program back in 2023.
"We’re going to end up seeing that this will be a model for the western United States," Sen. Bennet said.
That program was part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which has provided funding for several infrastructure projects in Colorado, notably the I-70 Floyd Hill expansion.
The Greenland Wildlife Overpass should be open for animal traffic by the end of this year.
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Erosion concerns along a busy Colorado highway
A News5 viewer reached out concerned about erosion along Highway 24.
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