09/20/2026
Wyoming Man Builds Private Wildlife Crossing After Getting Tired of Waiting for Elk
A Wyoming man is being asked to remove an unauthorized wildlife crossing he constructed over a rural highway after becoming frustrated with waiting for elk to cross the road.
The man reportedly spent most of the summer building a narrow wooden bridge approximately 14 feet above the highway after determining that the elk near his property were responsible for making him late for work several times each winter.
He said the project took three months, $4,700 and “a lot more lumber than I originally figured.”Wildlife officials initially believed the structure was an abandoned utility project until trail cameras captured several elk actually using it.
The man says the bridge has worked better than expected and claims his morning commute has improved by almost seven minutes.Officials have ordered him to remove it because he did not obtain permits to build over the highway.
He has appealed the decision, arguing that nobody required the elk to get a permit before crossing underneath it.Three elk were reportedly standing on the bridge during the inspection.