Wildlife

UDOT secures $9.6M federal grant for US-40 wildlife protection

Major wildlife safety project will add 23 miles of fencing along US-40 corridor, as UDOT also seeks additional funding for Echo Junction project in Summit County

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has secured a $9.6 million federal grant to enhance wildlife safety measures along US-40 in Wasatch and Duchesne counties, where animal-related crashes account for 60% of all accidents in the past seven years.

The project will add 23 miles of wildlife fencing along US-40, upgrade three existing wildlife underpasses, and construct one new underpass from Fruitland to Starvation Reservoir.

“This grant will help us reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, all while keeping Utah — and even its wildlife populations — moving,” said UDOT Natural Resources Manager Matt Howard. “These wildlife crossings are vital for safety, as every time an animal crosses under one of these crossings, it is an animal that is not on the road, not a threat to itself and to Utah motorists.”

The announcement follows several wildlife protection initiatives across the state. UDOT recently completed a wildlife fencing project at the I-80/I-84 interchange near Echo Canyon in Summit County, a significant elk and deer migration corridor.

State data reveals significant numbers of wildlife-vehicle collisions across Utah. According to UDOT’s Roadkill Reporter App, the state recorded 5,340 roadkill pickups in 2024, with Summit and Wasatch counties accounting for 213 and 240 incidents, respectively.

In Summit County, local conservation group Save People Save Wildlife has been advocating for increased protection measures along SR-224. The group documented 48 large mammals, including mule deer, elk, moose, and coyote, killed in collisions between Kearns Boulevard and Kimball Junction in 2024.

However, after reviewing proposals for SR-224, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) determined the area would not be ideal for a wildlife crossing.

“This location would encourage more movement into non-ideal habitat areas and urban areas and would likely increase the chance of conflicts between people and wildlife,” said Faith Jolley, DWR Public Information Officer. “It would also require the removal and/or modification of existing infrastructure in the area.”

Regarding the US-40 project, Utah DWR Wildlife Migration Initiative Coordinator Makeda Hanson said, “Based on existing GPS collar data, we have learned that US-40 is a barrier to wildlife movements. Roadkill reports indicate that animals attempting to cross the busy road are getting hit by vehicles at high rates.”

UDOT and DWR have already constructed over 60 wildlife crossings across Utah and are planning additional fencing projects in Kanab. The agencies have also applied for additional funding for the Echo Junction project.

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