Back in 2018, a wildlife overpass in Parley’s Canyon, which is located above I-80, opened for the first time. Located at Parley’s Summit, the bridge guides animals to safety rather than crossing the dangerous highway below. Utah is home to the first wildlife overpass that was built in the States, so it made sense to add another one on the interstate that leads up to Park City.
Government spending is always scrutinized, but a wildlife overpass was desperately needed in Parley’s Canyon. The results so far have been fantastic, and I’d argue it’s worth every penny. TownLift reported that 706 animals used the bridge in 2021, and that success has continued. Partially because of this overpass, more animal crossings will be coming to the United States in the coming years. The 2021 infrastructure law earmarks around $350 million for animal crossings.
A couple of days ago, the Utah Department of Transportation shared recent footage of various animals using the overpass. It’s cool to see so many of them have figured out how to use it so quickly and shows that we should be building more of these to protect them.
UDOT’s video is below.
Image/Video Credits: Utah Department of Transportation
