Virginia Range Horse Fence Closes Road Gaps
Drivers on Toll Road to Mira Loma Drive should expect fewer horses near the pavement.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Large Animals
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Do you support spending public money to fence horses away from roads?
Horses on the Virginia Range that have long crossed busy roads now face a continuous fence line, after the City of Reno finished the Virginia Range and Wildlife Preserve Project. Drivers and horses alike should see fewer close calls on the stretch between Toll Road and Mira Loma Drive.
Why it matters
For years, the wild horses that roam the Virginia Range have moved onto roads that carry heavy traffic, and the crashes that followed hurt drivers and animals. The project closes gaps in the fencing so the horses have a clear barrier from the roadway while keeping their access to water at Steamboat Creek.
The project cost about $1.35 million, and the city reported around 36 horse-vehicle collisions from 2021 to 2023 before construction, with about 11 horses struck during the 2024 to 2026 build-out. A roughly 70% drop in strikes is cited, though the measurement period is not specified.
The players
City of Reno
The city government that completed the Virginia Range and Wildlife Preserve Project and announced its completion.
The details
The city installed numerous gates and cattle guards and filled existing gaps in the fencing along the corridor from Toll Road to Mira Loma Drive, creating a continuous physical barrier between the Virginia Range horses and heavily traveled roads. The project was funded by state and local governments, regional agencies, and private donors, and the city announced completion on November 5, 2026.
Timeline
2021 to 2023: around 36 horse-vehicle collisions occurred on area roads.
2024 to 2026: project construction period, with about 11 horses struck by cars.
November 5, 2026: the City of Reno announced the project was complete.
The Truckee Meadows View
Horse-vehicle collisions on the Virginia Range were documented at around 36 between 2021 and 2023, which set the baseline for this fence project. The completed corridor from Toll Road to Mira Loma Drive is the valley's specific answer to that recorded pattern.
If you drive the Toll Road to Mira Loma Drive stretch, expect fewer horses near the pavement now that the gates and cattle guards are in place. Keep your speed down and watch for animals near the fence line, since the city's data shows the horses still move through the area.
The takeaway
The fence closes the gaps that let horses wander onto roads, while keeping their water access at Steamboat Creek intact. Watch the city's next updates on whether the collision numbers keep falling along this corridor.
Further reading
For more on the animals that share the land around town, see Large Animals in our Reno coverage.
Live Poll
Do you support spending public money to fence horses away from roads?
