Utah officials have confirmed that they have already seen the successful results of the new Utah Wildlife Bridge, as all kinds of animals are using the overpass daily to cross the busy interstate.
As highway accidents and collisions with wildlife have been on the rise in recent years, officials came up with an idea to bypass the problem; they built a bridge for the animals!
The Utah Division of Wildlife Recourses initially started the project back in the Spring of 2018 and opened the bridge spanning the six lanes over i-80 at Parleys Summit in the following December with hopes of helping save animals’ lives as they passed the busy highway.
Officials thought that it would take some years before the animals got used to using the bridge; however, last week, just in its second year of operating, officials have confirmed the wildlife are successfully using the bridge and safely moving over the busy i-80.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Recourses released a video last week, and we can see all kinds of animals from deer and moose to even bears crossing the bridge.
“It’s working,” the new post read on Facebook. “Thanks to the Utah Department of Transportation and Utah State University for monitoring the Parley’s Canyon wildlife overpass this year.”
“As you can see, the 2nd year of this overpass has been successful at helping wildlife safely migrate over busy Interstate 80 and helping motorists be much safer as well.”
Officials ask that the public stays off of the overpass to prevent damage and scaring the wildlife.
The overpass has been filled with rocks, boulders, dirt, and other natural recourses to aid the animals in adapting.
Last year, John Gleason, a spokesperson with the Utah Transportation Department gave stated to KLS how unexpected and wonderful it was that the bridge was starting to show results in saving the wildlife.
“It’s not something that they adapt to suddenly,“ said John Gleason. “We’re seeing results, and it’s an unexpected success to see results this early. We thought it would take potentially years for the wildlife to be familiar and to start using this bridge.”
The 5 million dollar project is certainly successful in increasing the safety of the drivers as well as the animals.
Speaking of wildlife, check out David Attenborough’s newest documentary trailer here.
