Arizona DOT Wildlife Overpass Taking Shape Over I-17

Huge girders stretching across I-17 near Flagstaff, AZ, will soon support a safe elk and deer overpass through the forest and above motor vehicle traffic – all while protecting travelers from costly and dangerous collisions with wildlife.

[Above photo by Arizona DOT]

The Arizona Department of Transportation is scheduled to complete installation of the 26 girders for the Willard Springs Wildlife Overpass by the Labor Day weekend. The entire wildlife overpass is expected to be finished by fall of 2026.

Once all girders and the overpass deck is in place, crews will install native vegetation and landscape features to entice animals to use the bridge. Arizona DOT noted in a statement that it also will install or retrofit about 16 miles of wildlife fencing to funnel animals along the corridor to the overpass.

Arizona DOT and the Arizona Game and Fish Department developed the plans for the 100-foot-wide overpass after studying the I-17 interstate corridor – which passes through the Coconino National Forest, home to elk, deer, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, black bears, mountain lions, and smaller animals – to find the best place to build an animal-friendly crossing.

[Editor’s note: In the video below, produced by the New Mexico Department of Transportation, Chad Loberger with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, explains the role animal crossings play in the safety of wildlife and the traveling public.]

Arizona DOT said it applied for and received a grant from the Federal Highway Administration’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program to pay for the bulk of the $21 million overpass. The FHWA says more than a million wildlife vehicle collisions a year occur across the country, killing an average of 200 people and injuring 26,000 more.

Federal, state, and county officials identified “a hot spot for elk” along I-17 south of Flagstaff, noted Audrey Navarro – Arizona DOT’s biology program manager – on a recent episode of the “On the Road” podcast produced by the agency.

The hot spot overlapped with a stretch of the interstate that had no bridges and only one road culvert that elk and deer could use, she said, also stressing that the I-17 overpass is only the latest Arizona DOT project to prevent wildlife vehicle collisions. “We’ve been developing wildlife infrastructure for the past decade,” Navarro said on the podcast.

[Editor’s note: A recent episode of “The DOT POD” podcast produced by the New York State Department of Transportation also discussed how state DOTs are working to provide safer passage for wildlife across highways and roadways.]

Meanwhile, a 2021 Arizona DOT study reported that about 27 percent of all crashes in a 17-mile stretch of I-17 south of Flagstaff involved elk, mule deer, or black bear. The report concluded that a wildlife vehicle collision occurs at least twice a year along each mile of interstate. The agency added that vehicle wildlife collisions in Arizona killed four people and injured 241 people in 2023.

Other Arizona DOT wildlife projects include:

Three wildlife overpasses and two underpasses for desert bighorn sheep along US 93 in far northwestern Arizona.
Three wildlife underpasses on State Route 68 between Bullhead City and Golden Valley.
Crossing and fencing on State Route 260 to reduce crashes with elk and deer.
A six-mile reconstruction of State Route 77 north of Tucson that included an overpass and underpass connecting wildlife habitats in the Santa Catalina and Tortolita mountains.
Two wildlife underpasses and six miles of fencing added to State Route 86 between Tucson and Sells.

Many state departments of transportation are working on ways to better protect animals and the motoring public through broad strategic efforts to identify key wildlife crossing areas and construct infrastructure to ensure safe animal passage.

For example, the Colorado Department of Transportation recently reached the 50 percent completion point for its I-25 Greenland Wildlife Overpass project located between Larkspur and Monument; what will be the world’s largest interstate-spanning bridge structure for wildlife once finished.

With the project reaching the halfway point, the structure to support the bridge has gone up, including foundation work of piers, columns, and the installation of 76 bridge girders; 38 over each direction of I-25. It is 200 feet wide and 209 feet long, covering 41,800 square feet or nearly an acre.

In October 2024, the California Department of Transportation issued a Wildlife Connectivity Report that identifies more than 140 locations where roadways can be better integrated with the migration needs of animals statewide.

The Utah Department of Transportation recently outlined its nearly five-decade effort to mitigate wildlife vehicle collisions statewide in an article in The Leaflet by AASHTO; a newsletter focused on state DOT environmental management issues published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. That long-term effort by Utah DOT also included the recent development of The Utah Roadkill Reporter; a smartphone application introduced in 2022 that gets the public involved in reporting wildlife collisions.

And in November 2023, the Wyoming Department of Transportation completed wildlife crossings built as part of its $15.1 million Dry Piney project. The Dry Piney project – a joint effort between the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Wyoming DOT – includes nine underpasses and 16.7 miles of eight-foot-high fencing on both sides of Highway 189 in the western part of the state to protect big game animals, primarily mule deer.

WSDOT Provides Nearly $16M for Active Transportation Projects

The Washington State Department of Transportation recently issued a total of $15.8 million to support 15 active transportation projects statewide via its Sandy Williams Connecting Communities Program or SWCCP, named for the late community organizer who worked to reconnect her East Central neighborhood in Spokane after the construction of I-90 split the community in half.

[Above photo by WSDOT]

The agency said that SWCCP grant funding aims to help communities develop and build infrastructure that enables safer walking, biking, and rolling along and across current and former state highways while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This spans everything from constructing sidewalks, bike paths, and biking trails to developing community engagement processes, WSDOT noted.

The program, now in its third year, prioritizes communities and tribes most affected by environmental health disparities and by barriers to opportunity, the agency said.

“This program is the embodiment of our Active Transportation Plan,” explained Barb Chamberlain, WSDOT’s active transportation division director, in a statement. “To build and maintain a transportation system that serves everyone, we have to fund safe active travel where people need it most.”

WSDOT added that the SWCCP is currently seeking suggestions for its fourth round of funding, with applications due by September 19.

The agency said the SWCCP, now fully funded by the state’s Climate Commitment Act, originally started out as a pilot program with $50 million over four years set to end in 2027. However, the state legislature made the program permanent and developed a dedicated funding source for it in the 2025-2026 legislative session. The new funding sustains the program at $12.5 million per year into the future, WSDOT said.

In addition to SWCCP, WSDOT said its Active Transportation Division manages grant programs such as Safe Routes to School and the Pedestrian Bicyclist Programs. Together, they have distributed more than $480 million to Washington communities since launching in 2005, the agency noted.

Other state departments of transportation operate similar active transportation support programs.

For example, the Colorado Department of Transportation recently issued $17.3 million in grants to 11 local projects aimed at improving air quality along parts of the Front Range region of the state.

Colorado DOT said its Nonattainment Area Air Pollution Mitigation Enterprise or NAAPME grant program is providing funding to the Community Clean Transportation Assistance Program or CCTAP to projects that address the impacts of automotive emissions in the nine-county Denver and North Front Range Ozone Nonattainment Area, where ozone levels exceed federal standards.

The agency said that those projects seek to reduce automotive emissions by improving multimodal access and promoting active transportation options such as biking and walking. Those projects also aim to increase safety and connectivity through infrastructure upgrades and strategic mobility hubs.

In February, the Minnesota Department of Transportation noted that 10 cities statewide are receiving grants via its Active Transportation Planning Assistance program to help them increase the number of residents walking and biking within their communities.

Funded by the state legislature, MnDOT said that program offers an estimated $100,000 worth of technical assistance from a consultant, such as developing an action plan and demonstration project. The agency added that it does not issue those grants directly to recipients and that each community receiving a grant is responsible for covering the implementation costs – such as construction – of their respective active transportation projects.

And the Massachusetts Department of Transportation recently joined with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation, and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism to launch the “MassTrails 10” campaign to showcase the recreational opportunities of trails, as well as how they connect to local transit services and other broader trail networks.

Environmental News Highlights – August 20, 2025

AASHTO Provides Insights on NEPA Revision Effort

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently sent a four-page comment letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding the agency’s ongoing effort to “modernize and streamline” the environmental review process for infrastructure projects.

[Above image by AASHTO]

In conjunction with USDOT Order 5610.1D, “DOT’s Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts” issued in July, AASHTO said it considers these “initial and proactive” steps – such as removing outdated references and enhancing regulatory clarity – as a “foundation” for further legislative and regulatory improvements where the National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA is concerned.

“AASHTO and state departments of transportation have a longstanding record of successful collaboration with USDOT in implementing the NEPA process [and] remain committed to addressing key NEPA-related challenges while supporting the timely and cost-effective delivery of transportation projects,” the organization stressed in its letter.

AASHTO noted that, under the previous Council on Environmental Quality regulations, operating administrations or “OAs” – a “catch all” term for USDOT’s modal agencies – were required to evaluate the “direct, indirect, and cumulative” environmental effects of a proposed action. In some cases, that led to the consideration of impacts that extended well beyond the scope of the project itself, AASHTO said.

Now, the new NEPA interim final rule or IFR – published by USDOT in July – replaces that requirement with “reasonably foreseeable” rule of thumb versus the more detail-heavy “direct, indirect, and cumulative” requirement, as outlined in the revised in Section 106 of the IFR.

“While AASHTO acknowledges this update is essential, we recommend that the OAs ensure a consistent interpretation and application of ‘reasonably foreseeable’ across all aspects of NEPA implementation – including this IFR, guidance documents, office orders, and related materials,” the group said. “Additionally, we urge the OAs to coordinate with both USDOT and non-USDOT NEPA-implementing agencies to promote uniformity in how this term is understood and applied across sectors.”

Another NEPA refinement is the introduction of a definition of “major federal action,” which, together with USDOT Order 5610.1D, offers greater clarity and applies a narrower scope to project applicability than previous interpretations.

“This refinement is a positive step toward reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens and focusing environmental reviews on actions with significant federal involvement,” AASHTO said. “However, as with prior terminology, AASHTO strongly recommends that the OAs adopt a clear and consistent approach to interpreting and applying this definition. Consistency should be maintained … to help avoid confusion, promote efficiency, and support timely project delivery.”

AASHTO stressed that its support for USDOT’s NEPA revisions stems from the need to provide state DOTs with greater flexibility to tailor environmental reviews to the specific context of their projects while maintaining consistency with federal standards. “That can lead to better outcomes for both infrastructure delivery and environmental stewardship,” the organization noted.

“The NEPA process requires compliance with numerous other federal environmental laws, each governed by distinct regulations and administered by different agencies,” AASHTO added. “Many of these laws are subject to complex and prescriptive regulatory frameworks that limit agencies’ flexibility to explore innovative, outcome-driven approaches. This rigidity often prevents the adoption of practices that could simultaneously accelerate project delivery and enhance environmental protections.”

NCDOT Wins Award for Work on Regional Mobility Plan

A regional planning initiative led by the Centralina Regional Council in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division recently earned national recognition for its work to improve transportation access and reduce congestion in the greater Charlotte region.

[Above photo by the Centralina Regional Council]

The CONNECT Centralina project received a 2025 Impact Award from the National Association of Development Organizations for improving quality of life for residents while building long-term infrastructure resilience.

Backed with $285,000 in state funding, along with $115,000 in local contributions, the project produced the Charlotte region’s first Transportation Demand Management or TDM plan; a term referring to programs and strategies that reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicles by encouraging options like carpooling, transit, walking, and biking.

“The partnership reflects our commitment to helping regions create smarter, more connected communities,” said Brennon Fuqua, director of NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division, in a statement. “Supporting local innovation is key to reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips and improving mobility statewide.”

He noted that NCDOT played a “hands-on role” in this regional project, from consultant selection to project oversight as well as providing a regional planner from the Integrated Mobility Division to serve as both project manager and steering committee member for it.

“CONNECT Centralina is a one-of-its-kind program in our region that gives residents the opportunity to take their commutes back for themselves,” said Sarah Niess, senior planner at Centralina Regional Council, who spearheaded this project. “NCDOT’s support, both in providing financial support and technical assistance throughout the process, was critical to the development of our transportation demand management plan.”

Environmental News Highlights – August 13, 2025

Colorado DOT Awards Funds for Clean Transportation Projects

The Colorado Department of Transportation recently issued $17.3 million in grants to 11 local projects aimed at improving air quality along parts of the Front Range region of the state.

[Above photo by Stephen Martinez for Colorado DOT]

Colorado DOT said its Nonattainment Area Air Pollution Mitigation Enterprise or NAAPME grant program is providing funding to the Community Clean Transportation Assistance Program or CCTAP funds to projects that address the impacts of automotive emissions in the nine-county Denver and North Front Range Ozone Nonattainment Area, where ozone levels exceed federal standards.

“This program is vital in our commitment to improving air quality and mitigating the impact of motor vehicle emissions in the Denver and North Front Range Ozone Nonattainment Area,” said Darius Pakbaz, Colorado DOT’s NAAPME program administrator, in a statement. “These projects represent a significant step forward in our efforts to create a cleaner, healthier Colorado, especially for our disproportionately impacted communities.”

Several of the grant recipients will be using the funds to expand on already successful projects, while other recipients will be using funds to begin new projects. In Loveland, CO, for example, grant funding will help create a mobility hub and improve traffic flow at the intersection of US Highway 34 and US Highway 287.

“The City of Loveland is proud to partner with the Colorado DOT and NAAPME on a project that will enhance two vital regional corridors,” said Loveland City Engineer Nicole Hahn. “By 2028, we aim to deliver transportation improvements that will reduce congestion, expand access to active modes of travel and contribute to better air quality for the entire Front Range community.”

Meanwhile, in Greeley, CO, that NAAMPE funding will be used to build four mobility hubs – helping integrate multiple transit options for the area.

“These hubs will help improve access, reduce emissions, and support a stronger local economy by connecting people to more options — whether they walk, bike, ride transit, or drive electric,” noted Victoria Leonhardt, senior urban transportation planner for the City of Greeley. “This project moves us closer to achieving the ‘Greeley on the Go 2045’ vision of a safe and connected city.”

MassDOT Breaks Ground on Rail-to-Trail Corridor Project

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation recently broke ground on the Lawrence Manchester Rail Corridor or LMRC improvement project that seeks to turn part of an abandoned rail line into an approximately 1.5-mile shared use path.

[Above left to right: MassDOT’s Tibbits-Nutt, Lawrence Mayor DePeña. Photo via Town of Lawrence.]

The project – which should be completed by the summer of 2028 – also includes rehabilitation of existing LMRC bridges over the Merrimack River and the South Canal, construction of a new bridge over Manchester Street for the shared-use path, and replacement of the Lowell Street bridge with a precast concrete culvert structure. Additionally, the approaches on Lowell Street will be reconstructed to accommodate the proposed structure and connect with the existing infrastructure.

Other improvements incorporated into the LMRC project include traffic signal reconstruction; curb extensions; construction of new sidewalks or rehabilitating existing ones; plus, the installation of accessible curb ramps, crosswalks, and pedestrian signal equipment where the shared path intersects with public roadways.

[Editor’s note: In January, MassDOT noted that it added roughly 15 miles of new shared use paths in 2024; expanding multimodal connectivity and opportunities for recreation statewide while also enhancing pedestrian and bicyclist safety.]

Further improvements include installation of granite curbing, minor drainage system upgrades, mill and overlay of the existing pavement at street intersections, and full depth pavement construction for both the shared-use path and selected roadway intersection areas.

“We’re proud to partner with our municipal leaders to bring the Lawrence Manchester Rail Corridor to life, transforming a long-unused rail line into a vibrant shared-use path,” said Monica Tibbits-Nutt, MassDOT secretary and CEO, in a statement.

“This project isn’t just about infrastructure, it’s about equity,” she said. “It’s about ensuring every resident has safe, reliable access to walk, bike, and connect to their community, regardless of zip code or background.”

“The Manchester Rail Trail is a transformative project that will open new opportunities to connect people to work, school, home, and more, and we’re grateful for our partnership with our state and federal delegations and the city’s leadership to make projects like this become a reality,” added Jonathan Gulliver, MassDOT highway administrator. “Shared use paths are proven tools to support mobility and economic growth, and the Manchester Rail Trail will result a new means of travel that will stretch from one end of the city to the other.”

“The Lawrence Manchester Rail Corridor project is a transformative investment in the future of our city,” noted Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña. “By turning an abandoned rail line into a modern shared-use path, we are creating a safer, more connected community – one that promotes active transportation, supports local economic development, and improves quality of life for all our residents.”

Across the country, state departments of transportation are working on similar shared trail projects.

For example, the Illinois Department of Transportation recently began work on the latest extension of the Route 66 Trail in McLean County.

Made possible by a $3.2 million grant via the agency’s Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, the project will extend the trail 4.5 miles from McLean to Funks Grove – enhancing a popular travel and recreation option in central Illinois while drawing tourists, creating economic opportunity and improving connections for communities along the old Route 66.

Meanwhile, the Washington State Department of Transportation is currently building the Gravelly-Thorne Connector; a 1.3-mile-long, 14-foot-wide path between Tillicum and Gravelly Lake Drive Southwest in Lakewood. That paved urban trail will run parallel to southbound I-5 and is expected to open in late fall 2026.

And in December 2024, the Hawaii Department of Transportation completed construction of the $15.7 million Leeward Bikeway – a dedicated bikeway within the former Oahu Railway & Land Company right-of-way between Philippine Sea Road in ‘Ewa and Waipahu Depot Street.

Environmental News Highlights – August 6th, 2025

Hawaii DOT Helps Deploy 12 Electric Transit Buses

The Hawaii Department of Transportation has partnered with four island counties to help deliver a dozen all-electric, zero-emission buses that are projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 17 tons over their lifecycle.

[Above photo by Hawaii DOT]

The buses, which collectively cost $16.6 million, are headed to Kaua’i, Maui, and Hawai’i Island and will replace similar diesel-powered units. All Hawaii counties have pledged to convert their entire bus fleets to renewable fuel power by 2035, noted Hawaii DOT.

Hawaii DOT helped pay for those buses with $11.2 million from the Federal Transit Administration’s “Low or No Emissions” grant program and the agency’s “Buses and Bus Facilities” formula program. The Hawaii State Energy Office chipped in $3.53 million as well from the Volkswagen Settlement fund, with the four counties contributing the rest.

Charging stations already have been installed with separate federal grants, so the buses are ready to go into service right away, according to Shelly Kunishige, communications manager for the Hawaii DOT.

The agency said that each EV bus can reduce oxides of nitrogen emissions by 1.445 tons over its lifetime compared to a similar diesel-powered vehicle. For 12 buses, that amounts to 17.34 tons of emissions.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green (D) touted the buses’ environmental virtues in a Hawaii DOT news release, but he also touched on how the buses “will provide our residents and visitors with additional transportation options that will help keep our communities connected.”

The bus purchase is aligned with Hawaii DOT’s new “Energy Security and Waste Reduction Plan,” a blueprint for the department to help meet the state’s goal of reducing the level of emissions measured in 2005 by 50 percent in 2030. Hawaii DOT recently extended public comment on that plan through August 31.

The EV buses “further our commitment to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,” Hawaii DOT’s Kunishige said. “We also have pledged to build out our multimodal infrastructure in the next five years so people have a choice to walk and bike safely to their destinations,” she added.

Kunishige noted that Hawaii is second in the nation behind California for EV adoption in the public fleet, adding that Hawaii DOT is in the process of converting its light-duty fleet to EVs while building out the charging network.

The agency also recently implemented a Road Usage Charge or RUC for light-duty passenger electric vehicles or EVs on July 1, following a federally funded three-year research and demonstration project in concert with authorizing legislation passed in 2023.