Long-term research and monitoring of the structures-which started in 1996 and is ongoing-shows that more than 12 species-including deer, lynx, coyotes, wolves, wolverines, and bears-use the crossings, even changing their behaviour to do so.Įlk were the first large species to use the crossings, testing them out while they were still under construction. But catch a glimpse of the top, and it’s clear they cater to a different crowd-the forest stretches from one side to the other, uninterrupted by the highway below.įencing along the sides ensures the fauna stay out of harm’s way. To passing motorists, the overpasses look like any other highway bridge: solid concrete arching over the highway.
#Animal overpass series
A series of underpasses followed, tunnelling beneath the highway to provide a safe alternative.Ĭombined with fencing to keep the animals off the road, the structures have reduced animal-vehicle collisions in the area by more than 80%-and by more than 96% for elk and deer alone. The twinning ultimately extended to Castle Junction by 1997 and the British Columbia border by 2014.Īlong with the twinning came an interesting engineering opportunity through Parks Canada-the construction of wildlife crossings to decrease vehicle collisions and restore critical migration routes that had been blocked by the highway.īanff’s first two wildlife overpasses were built in 1996 at a cost of $1.5 million each.
In 1978, Public Works Canada proposed twinning the section of the highway that runs from the east gate of the park to the Banff townsite to improve the safety of motorists and animals. But as park visitation increased, traffic volume surged-and so did highway-related wildlife mortality. When the 82-kilometre section of the Trans-Canada Highway that runs through the Rocky Mountains in Banff National Park was built in the early 1950s, it wasn’t expected to be the major artery it is today. We may never know, but thanks to the Banff Wildlife Crossings Project, there’s a good chance it made it to the other side. Why did the bear cross the Trans-Canada Highway?
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