Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
The Alberta government is building a wildlife overpass crossing the Trans-Canada Highway in the Bow Valley area to reduce the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions.
The wildlife crossing will be located east of Canmore near Lac Des Arcs and is the first wildlife overpass to be built outside of a national park in Alberta.
鈥淭his overpass will drastically reduce the chances of wildlife-vehicle collisions,鈥� said Transportation Minister Rajan Sawhney in an April 7 news release.
鈥淭he overpass will not only increase safety for the travelling public and wildlife, it will save thousands of dollars each year in property damage caused by collisions.鈥�
About 30,000 vehicles travel this stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway every day.
There are an average of 69 vehicle-wildlife collisions annually on the Trans-Canada Highway between Banff National Park and Highway 40.
The overpass will include 12 kilometres of wildlife fencing along the highway to help guide wildlife toward safe crossing points.
The estimated cost of the project is $17.5 million, and the project is expected to support 102 direct and indirect jobs.
鈥淭his project will bring forth new economic relationships that centre our values and strengths as Stoney Nakoda people and we are excited to continue working together,鈥� said Chief Clifford Poucette of the Wesley First Nation in the release.
The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y), which works to protect mountain habitat from Yellowstone to the Yukon, also praised the initiative.
鈥淭he Bow Valley Gap overpass is one huge step closer to being used by elk, bears and other wildlife,鈥� said Adam Linnard, Alberta program manager for Y2Y, in the release.
鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to see overpasses added to the provincial tool kit, and to see this overpass added to the network of collision mitigations that help make wildlife and people safer and better connected in the Bow Valley. We extend our congratulations to Alberta Transportation on today鈥檚 groundbreaking.鈥�
Construction of the wildlife crossing has begun and is expected to be complete by fall 2023.
