A ‘bridge to nowhere,’ gives wildlife and drivers safe passage

After a decade in the making, a new wildlife overpass and fencing project on Interstate 90 in north Idaho is complete.

Finished in 2025, the project in the community of Osburn now offers safe passage for both wildlife and drivers.

The effort was made possible through strong community support in Osburn, along with grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Additional support came from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, Idaho Fish and Game, and assistance from F&H Mine Supply Inc.

A bridge with history

For more than 60 years, a paved bridge across Interstate 90 sat unused after mining development on the north side of the interstate blocked access to a frontage road. The surrounding area, however, was heavily used by wildlife. Instead of the abandoned bridge, animals crossed the busy highway.

This particular section of I-90 recorded the second-highest density of wildlife collisions in the stretch of interstate from the east side of Coeur d’Alene to the Montana border. In the past decade alone, nearly 75 animals were struck within two miles of the project site.

For years, local truck driver and outdoorsman Carl Wilson led the charge to convert an unused bridge into wildlife overpass. Carl was concerned about the elk herd that crossed I-90 near the overpass and regularly got hit on the freeway. He rallied neighbors, local businesses, and state partners to bring the vision forward.

Unfortunately, Carl passed away December 2022. Today, Carl’s legacy is being carried on by Kirsten Voorhees, a fourth-generation Silver Valley resident and civil engineer.

“Carl’s vision is the story. He cared deeply, and he convinced others in the community to care as well. He found and brought together the people who could make it happen — and that led to action. Our community wants him to receive credit for this project and to be remembered for it,” says Voorhees.

Beginning in 2021, Fish and Game worked alongside Osburn residents to secure grants to retrofit the bridge and install wildlife funnel fencing. The design also incorporated nearby I-90 bridges spanning the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River, creating an underpass allowing for additional wildlife movement.

A community vision realized

By August 2025, the project was complete — a retrofitted crossing connecting critical habitat in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest within the Silver Valley.

“The funnel fencing is working well to keep animals safe as they move through their habitat. Cameras on the structures already show deer regularly using the underpass,” says Laura Wolf, regional wildlife biologist with Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Eric Greenwell, senior land connectivity manager at Y2Y, adds, “This project is a great win for people and wildlife. It’s about a community coming together in their own backyard to keep people and wildlife safe along this interstate corridor. The people of Osburn led the charge, they found the right partners to get the job done, and we’re happy they asked us to be one of those partners to support their creative vision.”

Looking ahead

Fish and Game will continue to monitor wildlife use of the crossing and track collision trends in the years ahead.

The project also demonstrates the financial benefits of repurposing existing infrastructure. The Osburn wildlife overpass cost approximately $600,000 — secured through grants — compared to the $5- to $6-million typically required for new overpass construction.

“This project is a great win for people and wildlife. It’s about a community coming together in their own backyard to keep people and wildlife safe along this interstate corridor. The people of Osburn led the charge, they found the right partners to get the job done, and we’re happy they asked us to be one of those partners to support their creative vision.”

— Eric Greenwell, senior land connectivity specialist at Y2Y.