COSTILLA COUNTY — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has announced it will begin traffic changes on Wednesday, June 11, at 5 p.m., to accommodate the construction of wildlife underpasses on US 160 east of Fort Garland. 

CDOT states traffic will be shifted onto a temporary bypass from Milepoint 259.62 to 261.13 on US 160 east of Fort Garland. Flagging operations will occur while crews install temporary striping and prepare for the traffic shift on Monday, June 9. Width restrictions of 11' will remain in place, and speeds will be reduced to 40 mph. This traffic shift will allow crews to remove the old structure and build the new wildlife underpass. This traffic shift and temporary bypass will be in place throughout the summer.  

To enhance wildlife safety, CDOT has built numerous wildlife mitigation corridors throughout the state. The construction of a new corridor along a seven-mile stretch of Highway 160 just east of Fort Garland is a significant step in this direction. The project, initially planned to commence in the fall of 2023, will greatly reduce the number of wildlife fatalities and collisions with motorists.  

According to wildlife biologist Marx Lawler with CDOT in a 2023 interview with the Valley Courier, the project will consist of an 8-foot-high fence that will funnel wildlife to three yet-to-be-constructed game underpasses beneath the road, where the animals will safely pass. The underpasses will be 13 feet tall, 26 feet wide, and 70 feet long.  

The wildlife corridor will also include escape ramps, which will allow animals to jump out of the fenced area if they cannot find the underpasses. These ramps are designed to provide an alternative route for animals that may not be able to locate the underpasses, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the corridor. Four of these escape routes will be per mile along the corridor.  

"As a wildlife biologist, I look at ways we can reduce the barrier created by our roads and increase the permeability to wildlife and connect habitats. Ultimately, as part of CDOT, I want to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and provide motorists with safer highways," said Lawler.  

Most of the wildlife-vehicle fatalities in the area are mule deer and elk.  

Each year in Colorado, there are over 4,100 large wildlife fatalities from motor vehicles hitting them on roads.  

Similar structures in other parts of Colorado have been remarkably successful in reducing wildlife mortality, with some areas seeing a decrease of as much as 80-90 percent. This success gives us hope that the new wildlife corridor on Highway 160 will also be effective in protecting our wildlife.  

Last year at the opening event for a wildlife corridor on I 70, Shoshana Lew, CDOT executive director said, “Colorado has one of the nation’s leading programs to protect traveler safety by avoiding dangerous collisions between drivers and wildlife. To date, we have built over 100 structures that allow terrestrial wildlife and aquatic movement in the form of pipe culverts, overpasses, concrete box culverts, underpasses and bridges with nearly 450 miles of fencing accompanying them. This program benefits from tremendous collaboration between CDOT and our partners at the Department of Natural Resources, thanks to an executive order from Governor Polis.” 

The $12 million project, funded in 2023, is a significant investment in wildlife safety. The construction is scheduled for completion in 2026. Travelers are urged to plan ahead and expect short delays during this period. 

According to CDOT, while some wildlife collisions may be unavoidable, motorists can reduce the likelihood of an accident by taking the following precautions:  

Slow down. Driving more slowly increases reaction time and reduces the chance of a collision.​ 

Stay alert while driving at dusk and dawn. This is when many of Colorado's wildlife are the most active and are likely to be crossing roadways. 

Scan ahead and watch for movement along roadsides. When driving at night, watch for shining eyes in headlights. Always look and be prepared for more than one animal. 

Obey traffic signs and watch for wildlife warning signs.