CDOT seeks county support for Raton Pass wildlife crossing grant push

Every elk, deer or black bear that steps onto Raton Pass puts a driver on Interstate 25 at risk, from the Colorado-New Mexico state line up toward Trinidad. Colorado Department of Transportation asked Las Animas County on Tuesday, May 5, to again serve as the local lead applicant for a federal grant that could move the wildlife crossing project toward construction completion by mid-2028.

The proposal centers on the Raton Pass corridor from mile point 0 to 14, one of CDOT’s priority stretches for wildlife-vehicle mitigation. Phase I of the study covered mile point 0 to 11. Phase II is set to examine mile point 11 to 14, refine conceptual designs and help set up funding for design and construction in 2026 and beyond. CDOT said the study was expected to be complete in 2025.

The safety case is straightforward. CDOT says Colorado records more than 5,000 wildlife-vehicle collisions reported to law enforcement each year, with an estimated annual cost of $80 million tied to crash response, cleanup, medical expenses and wildlife loss. CDOT also says up to two-thirds of those collisions go unreported, and its materials cite $66.3 million in annual medical expenses alone. On a mountain corridor where commuters, truckers and families share the pavement with wildlife, the cost shows up in wrecked vehicles, delayed freight and serious injuries.

The federal money at stake comes through the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, which is meant to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and improve habitat connectivity. U.S. Department of Transportation materials say the program made $350 million available over five years. Federal officials said the first round of awards totaled $110 million for 19 projects in 17 states, and a later round announced $125 million for 16 projects in 16 states. CDOT’s request for Las Animas County backing was aimed at keeping Raton Pass competitive for that pool of money.

The county’s role matters because the grant depends on a local lead applicant, not just state engineering. CDOT’s Wildlife Program has worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the USDA Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and other agencies on transportation-wildlife planning, underscoring that the project is as much about land and habitat connectivity as it is about highway construction.

Raton Pass is already a live roadwork corridor. CDOT’s 2025 resurfacing work ran from the Colorado-New Mexico state line at mile point 0 to just south of Exit 8 at mile point 7.6. If the wildlife-crossing grant advances, Las Animas County could help turn one of the region’s most dangerous stretches into a safer route for people and animals alike.