In Wyoming, one highway project is trying to make a common crash a lot less common.
The Kemmerer Wildlife Crossing on U.S. Highway 189 is now set to be finished on Oct. 31, 2027, about a year earlier than first expected. The project began construction in July 2026 and was initially expected to be completed in late 2028.
According to nonprofit Wyldlife Fund, Wyoming sees an average of 6,000 vehicle collisions with big game, resulting in $20 million to $23 million in wildlife costs and $24 million to $29 million in personal injury costs.
The Wyoming Game & Fish Department says the new $30 million crossing is “anticipated to eliminate 80–90% of wildlife-vehicle collisions” along U.S. Highway 189.
The project includes 63 miles of 2.4-metre-tall deer fence, seven underpass structures, one overpass and 1.6 kilometres of road construction.
“Once completed, deer, pronghorn and other wildlife will be able to move safely between seasonal habitats, reducing the number of animals on the roadway and increasing the safety of drivers,” an update from Wyoming Game & Fish reads. “This project became a top priority due to projected future development and increased traffic along U.S. 189.”
The crossing will help mule deer, pronghorn and other local species move across what the Wyoming Game & Fish Department described as one of the most difficult highways in the state.
The project is funded by a $24.3 million Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program grant from the Federal Highway Administration and $4.2 million in Wyoming Department of Transportation formula funds. The Wyoming Transportation Commission, Game and Fish Commission, Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, and other nonprofits and partners also contributed $8.8 million to fully fund the project.
The Kemmerer build adds to existing wildlife crossing efforts in Wyoming, including the Dry Piney crossing and Trapper’s Point on U.S. 189. Trapper’s Point is currently the largest crossing in the state, stretching 19.3 kilometres near Pinedale.
Once completed, the Kemmerer crossing will be more than double that size, a 48.3-kilometre multi-structure along the highway.
The overpass is anticipated to be complete later this year. Work on the underpasses and fencing will continue into the spring of 2027.
“We have enough of these wildlife crossings in Wyoming and across the West to know that if we build these kinds of fences and if we provide a way for animals to pass over or under the highway, mortality is reduced to almost nothing,” retired Game and Fish official Mark Zornes told Cowboy State Daily.
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