Environews, Minis

Environews: Wildlife overpass opens on Parley’s Summit

By Amy Brunvand

The new wildlife overpass is open over I-80 on Parley’s Summit to help Wasatch Mountain critters safely cross six lanes of fast traffic (and to save drivers from dangerous animal collisions). Three miles of highway fencing on either side of the overpass help funnel animals over the bridge which has been strewn with rocks and logs in order to resemble to the surrounding landscape. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) plans to install cameras in order to monitor how animals use their new bridge.

The wildlife bridge was built largely thanks to the nonprofit citizen group Save People, Save Wildlife which raised money and lobbied UDOT for a solution to excessive I-80 roadkill.

UDOT asks people to please stay off the overpass so as not to deter skittish animals from crossing.

Save People, Save Wildlife

This article was originally published on January 7, 2019.