Sen. Michael Bennet, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Executive Director Shoshana Lew, and the project team gathered at the construction site of the I-25 Greenland Wildlife Overpass in Douglas County to mark a significant milestone: the project has reached 50 percent completion. The overpass, located between Larkspur and Monument, is set to become the world’s largest bridge structure for wildlife over an interstate.
“Colorado is leading the nation in protecting our treasured wildlife by building the world’s largest safe passage for animals like elk and moose,” said Sen. Bennet. “This Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investment will lead to a 90% reduction in wildlife fatalities and make this busy stretch of I-25 safer for drivers and animals alike.”
“This overpass is the final link in a system that will make I-25 safer for both drivers and wildlife. By completing the wildlife crossing network from Castle Rock to Monument, we expect to cut vehicle-animal collisions by 90%,” said Lew. “This is an achievement for both public safety and conservation, and it is a result of the support from our federal delegation, Douglas County, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and many other partners.”
Construction so far includes foundational work such as piers and columns as well as installation of 76 girders—38 spanning each direction of I-25. The remaining tasks involve building out the bridge superstructure atop these girders, pouring concrete for the deck, connecting to abutments, constructing walls, grading slopes, preparing soil with landscaping suitable for wildlife use, and installing fencing designed to guide animals toward safe crossings.
The bridge structure itself will be 200 feet wide by 209 feet long—covering nearly an acre—and supported by dozens of girders. Once completed in late 2025 with additional landscaping finishing up in 2026, it will serve large mammals including moose, bear, mountain lions, elk, mule deer and pronghorn as well as smaller species.
The area between Castle Rock and Monument sees more than 100,000 vehicles per day traveling on I-25. Historically this corridor experienced about one wildlife-related vehicle crash daily during spring and fall migration seasons. The new overpass—alongside five nearby underpasses—is expected to significantly reduce such incidents by providing open sight lines preferred by local elk and pronghorn populations.
To accommodate ongoing construction activities—including upcoming nighttime lane closures on I-25—drivers are advised to check updates on CDOT’s official website: I-25 Greenland Wildlife Overpass — Colorado Department of Transportation. Photos documenting progress can be found through CDOT’s Flickr field update page.
For further information or questions about construction impacts or timelines, residents can call the project information line at 720-257-9544 or email [email protected].
