Wildlife Crossing Project on U.S. 97 in Siskiyou County

The Project:

The Wildlife Crossing Structure Project is located on U.S. 97 in Siskiyou County near Grass Lake, from approximately 1.4 miles north of Deer Mountain Road to 0.6 mile north of the Grass Lake Rest Area (Post Mile 18.0 to 22.4). This project with construct a new wildlife overcrossing bridge to improve wildlife connectivity and reduce vehicle-animal collisions.

Project Benefits:

This project will reduce the frequency of wildlife-vehicle collisions and restore landscape connectivity for terrestrial species, particularly deer and elk. The project area has the highest recorded wildlife-vehicle conflict rate in District 2, with over 50 deer and 16 elk fatalities recorded between 2015 and 2020. The new structure will allow safe passage for wildlife across the highway, improving driver safety and ecological resilience.

Project Includes:

This project includes construction of a single-span, approximately 100-foot long by 140-foot wide wildlife overcrossing bridge at Post Mile 19.77. It also includes the installation of approximately two miles of 8-foot-high wildlife exclusion fencing on both sides of the highway, jump-outs every half mile to allow wildlife to escape the roadway corridor, cattle guards at private road access points, and a reinforced concrete box culvert to enhance wildlife undercrossing opportunities.

Current Project Schedule:

Construction completion is anticipated for fall of 2026 followed by one year of plant establishment. 

Project Funding Estimates:

Project Cost: $15.1 Million (Construction Capital Only)

Contacts: 

Project Manager: Kerry Molz

Public Information Officer: Mario Montalvo