• Wyoming Game & Fish points to successes in Pinedale
Driving in a state where the wildlife far outnumber the people and towns are long distances from each other comes with some risk of animal collisions, vehicle damage and injuries. One route popular for area residents to travel from Star Valley to towns such as Dubois, Riverton and Casper include the Togwotee Pass. According to Wyoming Game and Fish Director, Brian Nesvik, work has begun on mitigating this well-known problem with this roadway.
“It’s a long multi-phase wildlife crossing project,” he told SVI Media as part of an interview with the Weekday Wake-up radio program. “There are a lot of wildlife that move and use that roadway and there are a lot of collisions. We feel once things are complete it will cut down on those accidents by 80-90 percent at a savings of about $800,000 per year. I’m excited about it.”
Nesvik explained that he meets with the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) regularly to determine areas of top priorities and that the Togwotee area is up next. He also pointed out this is not some unproven concept as other regional projects have shown.
“The best testament is to ask someone in Pinedale or Daniel,” he said of the undertaking of creating the wildlife overpass in the area. “We’ve seen 90 percent or more of collisions have been reduced. Those that travel that road every day really notice a difference. It is expensive but there’s nothing good that comes from a dead critter on the side of the road.”
Nesvik also stated that an important partner in the Togwotee Trails project is the Wind River Reservation and that the process of getting things squared away are in the early stages.
“We don’t have a deadline yet but it will take several months to find out if we are approved and then a couple years to design it,” he added. “These things take time and securing the funds and the engineering is the most timely portions of the process. I would hope that in about three years we start to see things moving on that.”
According to information provided by the WGF, the project will include construction of three new underpasses, one overpass and the improvement of three existing underpasses. The wildlife crossing project is a result of a collaborative effort between the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Tribes and partners.
It is estimated that approximately 5,000 mule deer winter in the Upper Wind River Valley and cross the highway daily for food and water. Elk, moose, white-tailed deer and pronghorn also winter in the area and many stay year-round. Bighorn sheep are also near Red Creek and frequently cross the highway and are often seen foraging or licking road salt along the right of way on U.S. 26.
