Senator Michael Bennet, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Executive Director Shoshana Lew, and the project team visited the construction site of the I-25 Greenland Wildlife Overpass in Douglas County to mark a significant milestone. The overpass, located between Larkspur and Monument, has reached 50 percent completion and is set to become the world’s largest bridge structure built for wildlife crossing 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.”
The project’s current progress includes completed foundation work with piers, columns, and 76 girders installed—38 spanning each direction of I-25. Remaining tasks involve constructing the bridge superstructure over these girders, pouring concrete for the deck, connecting abutments, building walls, grading slopes, preparing soil with appropriate landscaping for wildlife use, and installing fencing designed to guide animals toward safe crossings.
Once finished in late 2025—with landscaping extending into 2026—the overpass will provide a dedicated route for large mammals such as elk, pronghorns (which require open sight lines), moose, bears, mountain lions, mule deer as well as smaller species. This initiative responds to frequent animal-vehicle collisions on this stretch of highway; historically there has been about one crash per day during spring and fall migration periods.
More than 100,000 vehicles travel daily through this corridor between Castle Rock and Monument. The new overpass—measuring 200 feet wide by 209 feet long—will cover nearly an acre at 41,800 square feet. It complements five nearby underpasses already constructed as part of CDOT’s broader efforts to reduce road hazards involving wildlife.
Ongoing construction may cause daytime single-lane closures during off-peak hours throughout the project period. Nighttime lane closures are also planned during July/August 2025 when crews pour concrete decks overhead or realign travel lanes as needed.
Further updates on construction progress can be found at the official project website.
