Interstate wildlife overpasses reduce big game vehicle collisions by ninety percent
Spanning fifty feet above the roaring six-lane traffic of Interstate 80 at Parleys Summit in Utah, a massive arched bridge covered in boulders, native soil, and evergreen trees provides safe passage for North America's iconic mountain wildlife.
Completed by the Utah Department of Transportation in partnership with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the overpass was designed specifically to address a notorious highway collision hotspot where high-speed traffic intersected with ancient seasonal migration routes used by mule deer, elk, and moose moving between high summer mountain pastures and sheltered winter valleys.
To encourage animals to use the crossing, engineers carefully masked all evidence of the highway below. Thick earthen berms and wooden privacy fencing shield animals from vehicle headlights and traffic noise, while native grasses, shrubs, and logs create a natural, welcoming landscape across the bridge deck. Miles of high-tensile wildlife fencing line both sides of the interstate, gently funneling migrating herds directly toward the bridge approaches.
Trail camera footage compiled over several years revealed that animals began utilizing the bridge within months of construction. Biologists have documented cougars, black bears, bobcats, coyotes, and thousands of deer and elk crossing safely overhead. By virtually eliminating animal-vehicle collisions in the canyon, the overpass has saved countless human and animal lives while proving that modern infrastructure can harmonize with wild migration corridors.
Source: Wildlife Crossings and Animal Migration Corridors in Utah (Utah Department of Transportation).
Written by the HappyGood desk from the primary source linked above and checked against it. Every story links its source. Corrections: [email protected].
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