Carl Wilson, a truck driver from Idaho, spent years advocating for the repurposing of an abandoned bridge over Interstate 90 near Osburn to serve as a wildlife crossing. The bridge was previously meant to support the growth of the town but was left unused and became a hot spot for animal collisions, with nearly 75 animals struck within two miles of the bridge in the past decade. Wilson's efforts eventually gained traction after he gathered community leaders, conservationists, and state officials, who partnered with local groups to secure grant funding and complete the project, which was finished over two years after his death at age 80. The wildlife crossing is expected to reduce animal-vehicle collisions in the area.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
In 1969, a bridge over Interstate 90 and the South Fork Coeur d'Alene River near Osburn, Idaho, was built.
asserted
bridge → build → Osburn
For more than half a century, the bridge sat there in the sun, with not much use.
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bridge → sit → use
The bridge was meant to serve a growing town.
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bridge → mean → town
But the mining companies bought the land on the far side, blocked expansion and even demolished half the structure.
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companies → buy → structure
And the bridge ended up being a slab of concrete that carried no vehicles and served no purpose.
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that → end → purpose
Carl Wilson, a resident and truck driver who spent more time on Idaho highways than anywhere else, thought about this structure.
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who → spend → structure
Driving past roadkill day after day, Wilson began to wonder if that dead-end bridge might have a second life.
uncertain
bridge → drive → life
He had watched local elk and deer herds, and other animals, take their chances with semi-trucks and passenger vehicles.
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herds → watch → trucks
The stretch of I-90 near Osburn ranked second-highest in wildlife collision rates on the interstate between Coeur d'Alene and the Montana border.
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stretch → rank → d'Alene
In the past decade alone, nearly 75 animals were struck within two miles of that single bridge.
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animals → strike → bridge
So Wilson asked himself: what if this bridge could save the animals he watched die trying to cross the freeway?
uncertain
he → ask → freeway
He was sure the old overpass could help.
uncertain
overpass → help → ?
He just needed to convince everyone else.
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He → need → everyone
And he did!
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he → do → ?
Abandoned overpass gets a second life
The man wasn't the one building roads or taking up conservation projects.
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man → abandon → projects
He was a truck driver who witnessed what the animals crossing the freeway went through.
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animals → witness → freeway
So he began working the phones, attending meetings, talking to neighbours and state officials about retrofitting the abandoned bridge into a wildlife crossing.
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he → begin → crossing
Converting an existing structure into something useful sounded good in theory.
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Converting → convert → theory
However, making it possible was harder.
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it → make → ?
But he kept pushing anyway.
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he → keep → ?
He gathered community leaders, brought in conservationists and reached out to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
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He → gather → Fish
Slowly, the idea started moving.
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idea → start → ?
The Department of Fish and Game teamed up with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and several local conservation groups, and decided to make it work.
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it → team → Foundation
The state officials began working with Osburn residents to secure grant funding and install infrastructure so that the animals could safely cross the interstate via the abandoned bridge.
uncertain
animals → begin → bridge
But Wilson didn't live to see it completed.
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it → live → ?
He died in December 2022 at 80 years old, more than two years before the project finished.
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project → die → December
“He came to me in, like, 2008, when it was just a twinkle in his eye.
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it → come → eye
It just lit a fire under him.
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It → light → him
It's good to see his dream, that he worked on so hard for all those years, come to fruition,” Kip McGilvery, who has served as the mayor of Osburn for 12 years, told The Spokesman-Review.
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who → see → Review
The Idaho Transportation Department provided crucial support by granting the necessary permits and also helping connect the group with funding resources.
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Department → provide → resources
Some key staff members in District 1, including former Assistant District Engineer Marvin Fenn and Program Manager Robert Beachler, were instrumental in helping guide the effort to fruition, ITD said in a release.
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ITD → include → release
“This project really showcases how creative thinking and collaboration can make use of existing infrastructure in new ways.
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thinking → showcase → ways
It was great to see local initiative and partnerships come together to improve safety for both wildlife and drivers,” Beachler said.
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Beachler → see → wildlife
The new bridge was officially launched in the summer of 2025.
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bridge → launch → 2025
Trail cameras mounted on the bridge and nearby underpass recorded what state officials and conservationists had hoped for: deer using the crossing regularly.
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deer → mount → crossing
The footage showed animals taking the bridge route instead of risking the interstate.
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animals → show → interstate
The fencing did its job, funnel-fencing animals towards the safer crossing.
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fencing → do → crossing
The underpass likewise showed traffic.
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underpass → show → traffic
The bridge, however, does not have a long future.
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bridge → have → future
Its life is limited.
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life → limit → ?
…and 5 more, not listed.
