Help Us Cross the Finish Line — Tell the BOCC You Support Wildlife Crossings

Written By Tucker Vest Burton

We are so close.

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our community, we met our $200,000 challenge match. Now we are headed before the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to seek approval of the $200,000 already recommended by the Pitkin County Open Space & Trails Board — bringing the total to $400,000 for engineering feasibility work for wildlife crossings at Sky Mountain and Brush Creek along Highway 82.

The BOCC needs to hear from you. A personal letter or a few words of public comment can make a real difference. Here's how to help.

Contact the BOCC Directly Before March 10

Send an email to the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners encouraging them to approve the $200,000 already recommended by the Open Space & Trails Board.

BOCC Email Addresses:

Join for Public Comment — March 25th

There will be an opportunity to speak during public comment at the BOCC meeting on March 25th.

We will update here once these details are confirmed. 

Thought Starters — What to Write or Say

Your voice is most powerful when it's personal. Here are some thought starters we hope help:

Why does this work matter to you?

  • What does it mean to you to live in a valley where wildlife and people can coexist?

  • What do the elk, deer, and other animals of the Roaring Fork Valley mean to your sense of home here?

  • How do you feel when you see a dead animal on the side of Highway 82?

Have you had a personal experience with wildlife on the road?

  • Have you ever hit an animal, or had a close call, on Highway 82?

  • Do you know someone who has?

  • What did that moment feel like — and what does it tell you about what needs to change?

Think about our valley and who we are as a community:

  • We are a valley of hikers, skiers, cyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts. The health of our ecosystems is inseparable from the quality of our lives here. What does that mean to you?

  • 95% of Roaring Fork Valley residents surveyed said they support wildlife crossings. What does it say about our community that we show up for this?

  • What kind of valley do you want to pass on to the next generation?

From the heart:

  • Numbers can tell us how dangerous this road is. What they can't capture is the heartbreak of watching animals die needlessly — or the conviction that we are capable of doing better. What moves you to support this work?

Tucker Vest Burton
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Wildlife crossings gain traction upvalley