ADOT now over halfway done with I-17 wildlife overpass construction

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation recently announced it is now past the midway point of its Interstate 17 wildlife overpass construction project near Flagstaff.

The I-17 work, which is 12 miles south of Flagstaff and began in May, is on schedule to be finished in fall 2026, according to ADOT.

ADOT said concrete has been laid on the 100-foot-wide bridge just north of Willard Springs Road, which will allow “wildlife, including elk and deer, to cross over I-17” and it will eventually be covered with “native grasses and plants.”

All construction crew members were given the rest of the year off on Wednesday and will get back to normal work “once favorable weather conditions return next year,” ADOT said.

During this break from construction, the state traffic authority said no significant road restrictions will be in place.

Besides the overpass, crews will also put the finishing touches on 8 miles of fencing.

What is the purpose of the I-17 wildlife overpass?

With the new overpass in place, the hope is to greatly reduce vehicle and wildlife collisions on the stretch of the freeway.

According to data cited by ADOT, 58% of all vehicle crashes from 2018 to 2022 along the targeted 32-mile stretch between Stoneman Lake Road and Flagstaff involved wildlife. Of these crashes, 75% involved elk.

The $15.8-million project, which is being funded by a Federal Highway Administration Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program grant, is a cooperative effort of ADOT and the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

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