A fencing project aimed at reducing wild horse-vehicle collisions in southeast Reno and unincorporated Washoe County is complete.
The approximately $1.35 million Virginia Range and Wildlife Preserve Project filled gaps in existing fencing along a corridor from Toll Road to Mira Loma Drive. The work also included installing gates and cattle guards, some of which operate hands-free, to maintain access for people while keeping horses away from nearby roads and developed areas.
The project also provides access to water for wild horses and other wildlife at Steamboat Creek, from Alexander Lake Road north to near Mira Loma Drive.
The area experienced approximately 36 horse-vehicle collisions between 2021 and 2023, before construction began. During the construction period, between 2024 and 2026, approximately 11 horses were hit by vehicles, a roughly 70% decrease compared with the previous three-year period.
"I'm so very pleased to see this project completed because wild horses make our region special,” said Ward 2 Councilmember Naomi Duerr. “By closing gaps in the fencing, we’re helping reduce the risk of dangerous interactions and allowing these horses to remain part of our community while keeping our residents safe.”
Nevada is home to an estimated 40,000 wild horses, including approximately 3,500 Virginia Range horses. The fencing is intended to reduce collision risks by limiting horses' access to roads and nearby developed areas.
The City of Reno partnered with Washoe County, the Nevada Department of Transportation, the Regional Transportation Commission, the Bureau of Land Management, the Nevada Department of Agriculture, Wild Horse Connection, and the American Wild Horse Conservation on the project.
Funding came from state and local governments, regional agencies, and private donors.
More information is available on the City of Reno's Virginia Range Horses page.
