If you don’t have a personal story about hitting a deer, elk or other animal, odds are you know someone who does.
For Utah drivers, accidents with wildlife can vary from quick scares to incidents that result in serious injury and, while much less common, loss of life. Beyond this, there is an emotional toll felt by the driver and passengers knowing they injured or killed an animal. This emotional cost is hard to quantify.
However, when property damage, injury and the value of game species to Utah’s hunting economy are taken into consideration, we know wildlife-vehicle collisions cost Utahns an average of $165 million a year. This is according to the 2019 “Identification of Wildlife-Vehicle Conflict Hotspots in Utah” report commissioned by the Utah Department of Transportation.
Fortunately, this same report points the way to a solid solution. There are 50 wildlife-vehicle collision hotspots identified by the state on Utah’s highways and local roads that need wildlife crossing infrastructure. When these structures are paired with fencing and jump-outs that funnel wildlife toward the crossings, they reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions by 90%. There is no other solution that UDOT is implementing right now that can reduce occurrences of accidents by 90%.
That’s why UDOT is constructing wildlife crossings. Utah demonstrated foresight by building the nation’s first wildlife overpass near Beaver in 1970, paving the way for innovative wildlife conservation efforts across the West. To date, 50 structures have been built around the state of Utah specifically for wildlife passage. Most of these projects are underpasses allowing animals to safely travel under roads and highways. In 2018, UDOT constructed a wildlife overpass near Parleys Summit on I-80 that moose and elk are using that hit international news upon its completion and successful adoption by wildlife.
At a time when state budgets are stressed, it is more important than ever to make budgetary decisions that are fiscally sound and smart. Investing state dollars in wildlife crossings is just that — they pay for themselves by reducing accidents and saving taxpayers money. Wildlife-vehicle collisions cost over $8 billion annually. Wildlife crossings pay for themselves quickly in costs saved for emergency and medical assistance, property damage, and the value of animals lost.
As the Winter Olympics approach, it is more important than ever to build on these accomplishments and invest in safety. On Highway 89 outside of Kanab, UDOT is currently working to install fencing that will funnel wildlife to three overpass crossings. Beyond this, UDOT has set their sights on the next wildlife crossing project taking place at Echo Junction where I-84 and I-80 meet up. Wildlife-vehicle collisions with elk and deer at this single hot spot costs Utahns over $600,000 each winter.
It is also critical to the overall health of these herds that they continue to be able to migrate through Echo Junction. This is why the Utah Wildlife Federation and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation support wildlife crossings — they improve roadway safety, saving taxpayers money, and connect habitat, improving the success of wildlife populations from mule deer to desert tortoises.
This progress has been made possible thanks to GPS wildlife movement data from the Division of Wildlife Resources’ Migration Initiative, a one-time $20 million state funding allocation to UDOT for wildlife crossings, and matching funds from the federal government’s Crossing Pilot Program.
However, more action is needed. Utah’s $22 million allocation of state funds for wildlife crossings is being depleted by ongoing projects. To sustain progress, the state needs a dedicated annual fund for UDOT to continue implementing these initiatives. This smart investment would continue to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions by up to 90% across the entire state, saving Utahns up to $165 million annually in property damage, injuries, lives lost and wildlife game vital to the hunting economy.