• Bob Budd, Wildlife Trust says this will ‘drastically’ reduce loss of wildlife

The Kemmerer Wildlife Crossing project on U.S. Highway 189 in southwest Wyoming is on schedule to begin construction next year.

The project is funded through a $24.3 million grant from Federal Highway Administration, awarded to the Wyoming Department of Transportation and Wyoming Game and Fish Department in December 2023.

Wyoming Game and Fish Director Anji Bruce acknowledged a cooperative working relationship on the project.

“We have worked closely with WYDOT on the design,” she said. “We want to put them in the exact spots that will benefit the wildlife the most.”

Both agencies are planning a starting date in the coming year.

“The project will go out for bid later this winter or early spring and we might see a ground breaking in the summer,” Bruce advised. “It will take a couple of construction seasons because of the size and the intensity of the project, but for sure we’ll see it completed in a couple of years.”

She acknowledged the costs but pointed to the preservation of wildlife and safety for drivers.

“There’s no hiding it, these projects come with a very hefty price tag; it’s expensive to do.” she said but emphasized, “They are effective, once we get them in place, our monitoring says they are 80 to 90 percent effective.”

She added, “We will no longer be picking up those big game carcasses along the road.” She continued, “Also, the overpasses and underpasses open up the opportunity for even more big game to use the area, so we will see a huge success.”

Bob Budd executive director  of the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust confirmed that point. “Wyoming loses an incredible number of deer, antelope and elk to vehicle collisions every year,” he said in a note sent to SVI on the topic. “Not to mention millions of dollars in property damage and the actual loss of human life sustained from the same accidents.”

He continued, “Allowing wild ungulates to move freely to and from seasonal ranges is critical to sustaining these iconic resources for all of the people of Wyoming.”

Budd concluded, “This project will drastically reduce this loss.”

Bruce agreed, and referenced a successful project already reducing antelope deaths.  “Let me give you an example, back in 2000 we put the overpass in at Trappers Point, where our data showed about 30 antelope road kill every year,” she said. “We know with those overpasses we have thousands of antelope using them every year. It’s incredible how successful they are.”

As for the deer herds, it’s a different approach to safety.  “With mule deer they are successful using the underpasses,” she said and noting the preservation in southwest Wyoming with the Kemmerer project.  “We will be targeting the Wyoming Range Herd and the Unita deer herds. There will be five or six underpasses spread out for them over 30 miles.”

Additional work at the project area will include fencing. “You’ll also see a really tall six foot fence running along side the highway. That’s to guide the big game to use the under passes and overpasses. So they will no longer be able to freely cross the road, therefore offering that safety component to our drivers and passengers and just making that road a whole lot safer to travel for people.”

Completion is planned in approximately three years.

“It will be completed by 2028, but it will depend on the speed of the contractor,” Bruce explained. “We don’t want to bind the hands of the contractor too much because as we all know that drives prices up and we want to be efficient with our money. “

She added, “It will mostl likely be two construction season but leave the opportunity for a third one if needed. Sometimes the constructor needs to come back and finish off fencing, finishing off jump outs, so we are leaving it broad. Really, we think we can get it done in two construction seasons if all goes well.”