Roaring Fork Safe Passages Initiates Wildlife Crossing Projects to Reduce Collisions on Colorado Roads
Roaring Fork Safe Passages, a nonprofit organization, is addressing the issue of wildlife-vehicle collisions on Colorado's Western Slope by planning to build five wildlife crossings along Highway 82 from Carbondale to Aspen. The initiative is driven by the high number of animal fatalities, with over 7,000 animals killed in such collisions last year. Cecilly DeAngelo, the Executive Director of Roaring Fork Safe Passages, was inspired to start this project after witnessing a collision between a vehicle and a stag. The organization aims to reduce these incidents by constructing overpasses and underpasses that have been proven to decrease wildlife-vehicle collisions by up to 95%. These structures are designed based on extensive data collection and are tailored to accommodate specific species, such as elk, deer, and smaller rodents. 
