In 1969, a bridge over Interstate 90 and the South Fork Coeur d’Alene River near Osburn, Idaho, was built. For more than half a century, the bridge sat there in the sun, with not much use. The bridge was meant to serve a growing town. But the mining companies bought the land on the far side, blocked expansion and even demolished half the structure. And the bridge ended up being a slab of concrete that carried no vehicles and served no purpose.
He died in December 2022 at 80 years old, more than two years before the project finished. 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. The man wasn’t the one building roads or taking up conservation projects. He was a truck driver who witnessed what the animals crossing the freeway went through. So he began working the phones, attending meetings, talking to neighbours and state officials about retrofitting the abandoned bridge into a wildlife crossing. Converting an existing structure into something useful sounded good in theory. However, making it possible was harder. But he kept pushing anyway. He gathered community leaders, brought in conservationists and reached out to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Slowly, the idea started moving. 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. But Wilson didn’t live to see it completed.
As the bridge is not used for transportation purposes and is owned by ITD, it is scheduled for removal in 2032, as it ages.
However, ITD said it’s happy to support the community in putting it to good use for now. This project reflects the kind of local collaboration and problem-solving we appreciate being a part of,” District Engineer Damon Allen said. The bridge, however, does not have a long future. Its life is limited. “Even temporary or short-term solutions can have meaningful benefits. For now, the animals can safely cross the bridge without risking their lives.