Antelope crossing
Photo by Hal Sawyer, courtesy Wyoming Department of Transportation.
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Deer Underpass
Photo by Hal Sawyer, courtesy Wyoming Department of Transportation.
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Wildlife passage structures working
by Pinedale Online!
October 19, 2012
New highway overpasses and underpasses designed to help big game get safely across US 191 west of Pinedale are working and being used by wildlife.
The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) has been working on a "wildlife connectivity" project on US 189/US 191 in Sublette County for several years. The project involves installing six new underpasses and two overpasses for wildlife. In addition, special 8-foot tall wildlife fencing has been installed on both side of the highway along most of the 12-mile-long project corridor to funnel game to the crossing points.
Three of the underpasses are located within a 2.5-mile stretch of US 191 in the vicinity of Trappers Point between Pinedale and Daniel Junction. The other three underpasses are grouped within a 1.25 mile section US 189-191 north of Daniel Junction.
One overpass is located close to Trappers Point, near the junction with WYO 352 (Cora Road). The other overpass is located about two miles north of Daniel Junction at what is referred to locally as Boroff Hill.
Both overpasses are constructed as large arch culverts, composed of several dozen sections of quarter-round, precast concrete sections, placed side-by-side on each side of the road. Fill material was placed over the top and down the sides to complete the process.
Experience and research has shown that while deer, elk and even moose will readily learn to use an underpass, antelope are extremely reluctant to do so. The overpasses are intended to solve the problem of getting antelope safely across the roadway. Their 150-foot width is sufficient to place earthen berms along both sides to block the view of the highway underneath. As time goes on, the surfaces will be landscaped with native grasses and shrubs to help blend in with the surroundings.
The goal of the project is to improve safety for motorists and animals and eliminate disruptions caused by highways to known major seasonal wildlife movement corridors in the Upper Green River Valley.
Costs for the project, paid for by the State of Wyoming, are: Two Overpasses: $5 million; Six Underpasses: $3.6 million; One Fence: $1 million. Total: $9.6 million. Costs for the project are: Two Overpasses: $5 million; Six Underpasses: $3.6 million; One Fence: $1 million. Total: $9.6 million.
Cooperators on the project are the US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming Game & Fish Department, Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and the Wyoming Division of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Funding for researchers to do multi-year mule deer and antelope studies was provided by natural gas operators in the Pinedale Anticline Project Area.
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