Below is a news release from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, highlighting the accomplishment of the lifelong vision of Carl Wilson, a late member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. In 2023, RMEF committed $400,000 in funding as part of a $1.2 million effort to conserve western migration corridors, including this Idaho project. 

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 I-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 using 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 (see photo below) led the charge to convert an unused bridge into a 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 in Dec. 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,” said Voorhees. 

A community vision realized 

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 (see photos below) allowing for additional wildlife movement. 

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,” said Laura Wolf, regional wildlife biologist with Fish and Game. 

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 $5–6 million typically required for new overpass construction. 

Click here to watch a short video about the project. 

(Photo credit: Idaho Department of Fish and Game)