I don’t know what the significance of this story is… We’re a wealthy country? We really care about animals? Or By caring about animals, we help ourselves? Here goes…

If you drive on I-25 north of Monument, you’ll see a bridge over the interstate under construction. Not that unusual except…there’s no road there! What’s the purpose of the bridge?

It’s a wildlife bridge! You can’t make this stuff up. No matter that when the highway between Monument and Castle Rock was widened a few years ago, they built five underpasses for wildlife. It turns out that some wildlife won’t use the underpasses…so Let’s build an overpass! And so we are. Our local newspaper reports:

The wildlife overpass under construction on Interstate 25 between Larkspur and Monument will be the “world’s largest bridge structure built for wildlife,” officials said in a release Friday as they marked the project’s halfway point. 

Measuring 200 feet wide and 209 feet long, the massive I-25 Greenland Wildlife Overpass will cover nearly an acre once completed. It will span six lanes of traffic, on a stretch of the interstate traveled by more than 100,000 vehicles each day, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The purpose?

With the stretch of the interstate between Castle Rock and Monument averaging “one wild-life vehicle crash a day in the spring and fall seasons,” officials say the bridge is expected to reduce wildlife collisions by 90%.

There are already five nearby underpasses in the area, this bridge, however, will benefit elk and pronghorn in particular. Officials say both species prefer to cross “open structures that provide clear and open sight lines” instead of tunnels. Moose, bear, mountain lions, mule deer and smaller animals are expected to use the structure as well.

How much?

The $15 million overpass is expected to be completed in December 2025. 

Like I say, I’m not sure of the significance. I’ve read before that some herds got split when the interstate was first built, and the new bridge will allow them to reunite. It’s not something I lay awake worrying about, but apparently some people do. And one wonders where the 90% figure comes from. One crash per day in spring and fall equates to, what, 180 crashes per year? And they expect that number to go down to 18? How do they know?

OK, enough! I’m violating an important principle…

LORD, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. (Psalm 131.1, NLT)