While driving through the Rocky Mountains earlier this summer I was a little mystified when we began to encounter these hobbit-style overpasses. All I could think of was that they were left over from a defunct theme park or an abandoned super-highway project. Then we saw some that were obviously still under construction, not even overgrown with vegetation yet and I realized this was something new. Then I put this together with the fact that both sides of the highway are lined with fencing about 3 or 4 meters (10-12 feet) high and saw that the fencing also crossed the overpasses and the penny dropped. These overpasses are not for cars, they're so that the wildlife can safely cross the highway. What a nice idea.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Somewhere Saturday - Animal Overpass
While driving through the Rocky Mountains earlier this summer I was a little mystified when we began to encounter these hobbit-style overpasses. All I could think of was that they were left over from a defunct theme park or an abandoned super-highway project. Then we saw some that were obviously still under construction, not even overgrown with vegetation yet and I realized this was something new. Then I put this together with the fact that both sides of the highway are lined with fencing about 3 or 4 meters (10-12 feet) high and saw that the fencing also crossed the overpasses and the penny dropped. These overpasses are not for cars, they're so that the wildlife can safely cross the highway. What a nice idea.
6 comments:
Greetings!
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Agreed. Now, Benjamin, you didn't shoot-while-driving, did you? Lovely photo, but you gotta drive safely.
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh... (No, my brother was driving.)
ReplyDeleteStunning shot Ben!!!
ReplyDeleteJack, I shoot while driving all the time. ;)
I saw these a couple of weeks ago driving home with my daughter. She is the one who told me what they were. We didn't see any animals crossing over though.
ReplyDeleteVery cool way to help the wildlife avoid the danger of getting across the road.
ReplyDeleteAnd another terrific foto that has a near 3-D quality. Love the definition/separation in the clouds and sky.
Yes, great idea. A few years ago, while driving cross country, while driving in Eastern Montana and through the Dakotas, I saw quite a few antelope killed on the interstate and thought, how could they get on the roadway. But then early one morning, I saw one 'launch' itself over about an 8 foot fence... hope this preserves wildlife!
ReplyDelete