Internet Rejoices Over Highway Overpass in Utah That Helps Wildlife Safely Cross Busy Highways
Utah has a wildlife crossing that is doing exactly what it was built to do, and people online cannot get enough of it. The Parley's Canyon Wildlife Overpass is helping deer, moose, bears, bobcats, and other animals move safely over Interstate-80 instead of ending up on the pavement below.
The project has become a rare feel-good story about roads and wildlife coexisting a little more safely. Cameras have been catching steady traffic across the overpass, and the results have been strong enough to get attention far beyond Utah.
Now the internet is celebrating a crossing that seems to be working better than anyone hoped. Read on.
Check out the video of animals crossing Utah's first-ever wildlife overpass
However, it's still too early to determine locations and details.
The overpass has already drawn more animal traffic than expected, and the fencing along both sides of I-80 helps guide wildlife toward it.
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
This Utah success story is the opposite of the mountain lion and three cubs caught on a trail camera.
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.
After seeing that Utah overpass save animals, read about Grizzly 399’s heartbreaking highway collision.
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