Internet Rejoices Over Highway Overpass in Utah That Helps Wildlife Safely Cross Busy Highways
We've all heard of moose, deer, cougars, and other wildlife getting run over on busy highways. Chances are you've also seen a couple of these animals lying dead on the road, simply avoided by motorists, or laid out on the side of the road like garbage.
The fact is, it's a gruesome reality that many animals face around the world. After all, we humans have invaded their homes, redeveloped their lands, and built these massive highways.
They don't know anything about these developments, and they're not always aware of the dangers they face. While some of them may have quick reflexes, those reflexes are not enough to save them every time.
Thankfully, many humans are doing their part to help save these animals. One of the ways they're accomplishing this is by building wildlife highway overpasses.
One such overpass was built in Utah, and the internet is rejoicing over its tremendous success. In a video posted by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources showcasing the impressive Parley's Canyon Wildlife Overpass, all the wildlife are using it.
“It’s working!” they captioned the video.
Scott Root, the Conservation Outreach Manager at the Utah DWR, stated that they tasked the trail camera filming to Utah State University this year to begin a statistical study of the overpass usage. “The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) recently installed a camera system on the overpass as well. Detailed statistics are not yet available, but they will be next year. Deer have been the most frequent users of the overpass,” he said.
Check out the video below.
Check out the video of animals crossing Utah's first-ever wildlife overpass
According to Root, the Utah DWR and UDOT will work together to create more future crossings like this one. However, it's still too early to determine locations and details.
“UDOT and DWR were pleasantly surprised by how many animals have used the overpass in the first two years since its completion,” Root said. He also explained that three miles of wildlife fencing lining both sides of I-80 adjacent to the overpass helps funnel the animals to the overpass.
Before the overpass existed, there were around 100 wildlife and vehicle accidents over two years in that part of the highway. Since the overpass was built, however, accident reports have drastically decreased.
Various creatures were caught by cameras near and on the bridge of the I-80 highway during the day
The highway is always a dangerous place for animals
Big or small, they can't escape accidents
Although they may have great reflexes, animals can be caught off guard by a speeding car
Not only can the animals get hurt, but also the humans driving the cars
The bridge has made it safer for both animals and humans
The four-legged traffic continued at night as well
Now, animals can cross the highway safely, whether it's day or night
They'll be able to reach their dens or nests
They won't end up as roadkill the next day
This is the kind of project that's worth repeating
The overpass, which measures 320 feet long and 50 feet wide, has been helping wildlife safely cross over the busy Interstate-80 for two years now. The project cost $5 million, but it's well worth it.
From squirrels, moose, bears, deer, and even bobcats, the overpass is definitely getting a lot of traffic. It has been successfully protecting the animals while also keeping drivers safe from accidents as wildlife attempts to cross the I-80.
This just goes to show that strategic placements of infrastructure can have significant positive effects not only for humans but also for the wildlife living in the area.
The project has since gained tons of attention from websites like Reddit, Imgur, and, of course, the media. The original video now has 1.6 million views and is still gaining.
People definitely loved the project and are pushing for more like it
The rest of the world should follow
Definitely!
Well worth the money!
It's a joy to see
Let the animals live their lives in peace
This is definitely great news! There are only a handful of positive developments happening in the world for these creatures due to human actions, and this is certainly one of the best.
Hopefully, they will expedite the construction of more of these overpasses. And hopefully, more people will find ways for us to coexist with wildlife without harming them further.
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