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<\/p>\nAbout 100,000 vehicles travel in the remote area each day, the Colorado Department of Transportation said.<\/p>\n
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See the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing construction<\/p>\n
Officials recently announced that the second and final stage of construction is starting on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing.<\/p>\n
North America\u2019s largest wildlife bridge<\/a>, meant to help animals safely cross over busy roads, opened in Colorado<\/a>, state officials announced this week.<\/p>\n The Greenland Wildlife Overpass swoops over Interstate 25 near Larkspur, located between Denver and Colorado Springs. About 100,000 vehicles travel in the remote area each day, the Colorado Department of Transportation said in a Dec. 16 news release<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Greenland overpass allows elk, mule deer, black bears, mountain lions and other wildlife to safely cross on dirt and vegetation above six lanes of traffic. The overpass, costing around $15 million, connects 39,000 acres of wildlife habitats separated by I-25, in an area known for high movement of large game, according to a project description<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe I-25 Greenland wildlife overpass is critical to the safety of both wildlife and motorists,\u201d\u00a0Shoshana Lew, executive director of the state transportation department, said in a statement.<\/p>\n It\u2019s located in a 3.7-mile gap from other wildlife crossings.\u00a0Underpasses and fencing make up the system. Prior to the system, transportation officials said there was an average of one wildlife crash per day during fall and spring wildlife movement seasons. The Greenland crossing is expected to reduce local wildlife-vehicle crashes by 90%, Lew said.<\/p>\n \u201cColorado is leading the way in reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions, and improving safety for both our motorists and wildlife,\u201d Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement.<\/p>\n The overpass is 200 feet wide and 209 feet long, covering 41,800 square feet, state officials said.\u00a0It was completed within a year, faster than projected.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, in Southern California, the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is nearing completion<\/a> between the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills near Los Angeles, crossing one of the nation’s busiest roadways<\/a>. The wildlife overpass above 10 lanes of Highway 101 is about 210 feet long and 174 feet wide, according to the California Department of Transportation<\/a>.<\/p>\n Organizers say<\/a> that project aims to be the “largest wildlife crossing in the world of its kind.”<\/p>\n \u00a0After breaking ground in 2022, it costs an estimated $92 million, mostly paid for by nonprofits.<\/p>\n If there were cars on the crossing, it\u2019d be wide enough for about five or six lanes of traffic in each direction, Caltrans said. Instead, the Annenberg overpass will help mountain lions, bobcats and coyotes avoid getting hit by cars on Highway 101, which divides habitats to the north and south.<\/p>\n The crossing is expected to open late 2026, according to a Caltrans spokesperson. The overpass structure is complete, but connections on either side are being finished.<\/p>\n Contributing: Elizabeth Weise<\/a>, USA TODAY; Miles Blumhardt<\/a>, Fort Collins Coloradoan<\/p>\n