Region 3 highlights wildlife crossing successes, Vail Pass auxiliary lanes and project constraints

Region 3 staff briefed the Transportation Commission stack on multiple wildlife‑mitigation projects and passing lanes that aim to reduce wildlife‑vehicle collisions and improve safety on rural and mountain corridors.

Mark Rogers (Region 3) and Cinnamon Levi Flynn detailed a series of completed and in‑design projects. Flynn said projects such as State Highway 9 and a phased project on SH‑13 have produced evidence of large crash reductions — ‘‘both carcass and reported crash data have decreased approximately about 80 to 90% in this segment’’ — and that monitoring shows good animal use of structures such as arch underpasses. She described a project that paired an underpass with a radar detection system and specialized deterrent mats (Zapcrete) to provide cost‑effective mitigation where full overpasses are infeasible.

Rogers framed the case for passing and auxiliary lanes on high‑speed two‑lane state roads and mountain passes; he recounted experience on U.S. 40 and U.S. 50 where added passing lanes and shoulders reduced risky passing behavior and gave examples of quick‑win sites where right‑of‑way was already available. For Vail Pass, the recent auxiliary lane work added about 2.7 miles in the most recent phase and included wildlife crossing features that will be completed this summer.

Funding and new revenue source: Flynn highlighted that Senate Bill 26141 (wildlife collision prevention) was signed and creates a collision prevention fund credited by a new optional $5 fee; she said that 75% of the revenue from the fee will be continuously appropriated to the CDOT road enterprise to support wildlife crossing work and matching funds for grants.

What’s next: Region 3 will pursue grants and partnerships where construction funds are not yet identified (for example US‑40) and continue monitoring and phased construction where designs are complete.

Context: the presentation emphasized the mix of expensive structural solutions and more innovative, lower‑cost technologies as ways to reduce collisions where topography or funding limit full overpass construction.