Construction of I-17 Wildlife Overpass near Flagstaff Reaches Halfway Point
Key Takeaways
- Wildlife overpass is more than 50% complete and expected to be completed next fall.
- Structure aims to reduce wildlife-related crashes, which made up 58 percent of crashes on the corridor.
- The $15.8 million project is largely funded through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program.
Construction of a new wildlife overpass on Interstate 17, about 12 miles south of Flagstaff, Ariz., is more than halfway done, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT).
The $15.8 million structure is designed to reduce collisions involving deer and elk, which have historically been a major safety issue along the 32-mile stretch between Flagstaff and Stoneman Lake Road, according to ADOT’s news release.
Work paused on Nov. 26 and will resume when weather allows next year, with the project expected to be completed next fall, ADOT reported.
The 100-foot-wide overpass is located just north of Willard Springs Road. Crews have completed the concrete placement and will plant native grasses and vegetation on the structure, according to KTAR News.
Crews will also install 8 miles of wildlife fencing along I-17 next year to funnel animals towards the safe crossing point, according to ADOT.
The corridor has seen a disproportionately high number of wildlife-related crashes: between 2018 and 2022, 58% of all collisions involved wildlife and roughly 75% of those involved elk, according to ADOT.
Most of the funding for the project comes from the Federal Highway Administration’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program. ADOT is completing the project in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, according to ADOT’s news release.