A wildlife crossing planned for Interstate 5 about a mile north of the California border has secured $33 million in federal funding, with construction expected to begin in 2027.
Supporters say the project will improve safety for both people and wildlife by reducing collisions with large mammals. The crossing also is intended to strengthen wildlife connectivity along the Siskiyou Crest, which conservationists describe as one of the region's most biologically diverse landscapes.
Steve Wise, executive director of the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy, said the investment makes financial sense because of the cost of wildlife-vehicle collisions.
"The original cost was going to be something in the neighborhood of $30 million, which sounds substantial, but when you count up the safety cost of avoided accidents, it pays for itself rather quickly," Wise said.
Wise said collisions involving large animals, such as elk, deer and bears, carry significant human and financial costs. Smaller animals, including bobcats and raccoons, already use drainage culverts beneath the highway.
"The cameras show them going through the culverts that go under the road for drainage, but the larger animals won't do it," Wise said.
The new crossing will be several hundred feet wide and covered with native vegetation designed to resemble the surrounding landscape.
Wise said the crossing is located within a critical wildlife corridor.
"What we know is that this corridor on the Siskiyou Crest and the Siskiyou Summit is one of the most biodiverse areas anywhere and a really critical link for wildlife connectivity in the region," he said.
Wise said the project reflects a value shared by many people in Southern Oregon.
"Wherever you are, whatever else you believe, you believe that the land matters, and that it's our responsibility to live in harmony with that land," he said.
Guest
- Steve Wise, Executive Director, Southern Oregon Land Conservancy
