Park City pursues federal grant to combat rising wildlife collisions as 224 road expansion looms

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City officials are pursuing federal funding to address a sharp increase in wildlife-vehicle collisions along State Route 224, as plans advance for a Bus Rapid Transit project that will widen the roadway by 10 feet.

The city plans to apply for the Federal Highway Administration’s Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, which offers up to $80 million in grants for fiscal year 2026, with 60% earmarked for rural projects.

Wildlife collisions along SR-224 jumped to 48 in 2024, according to Save People Save Wildlife, accounting for nearly a quarter of Summit County’s 213 roadkill incidents. Utah recorded 5,340 roadkill pickups statewide last year.

“This is a complex situation,” said Faith Jolley, spokesperson for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in a recent statement to TownLift. The agency had reviewed a proposed wildlife crossing near the McPolin Barn area of SR-224 but determined “this area would not be an ideal location” as it could “encourage more movement into non-ideal habitat areas and urban areas.”

Current safety measures on the UDOT-owned corridor include a 45 mph speed limit and warning signs. According to Save People Save Wildlife, these measures, implemented in 2022, have not reduced collisions, which reached 48 in 2024 — double the ten-year average documented by BIO-WEST.

Park City Transportation Planning will lead an application for a non-construction project to evaluate new technologies such as animal sensor-activated warning systems and develop education programs, according to a March 20 staff communication.

“A wildlife-vehicle collision mitigation project could enhance community safety and cohesion, making it a strong candidate for funding,” wrote Kate Swedburg, Grant Administrator, and Alex Roy, Assistant Transportation Planning Manager, in their report to City Council.

Similar projects have secured federal funding in recent years, including $5.5 million for wildlife underpasses along US-89 in southern Utah and $626,659 for a wildlife collision study on Alaska’s Glenn Highway.

The application period runs from May 1 to August 1, 2025, with funding available in fiscal year 2026. Projects require a 20% non-federal match.

The planned Bus Rapid Transit system for SR-224 has raised additional concerns. In a recent letter to High Valley Transit, Save People Save Wildlife referenced a 2023 Federal Transit Administration letter stating wildlife collision reduction measures “will be included in this design phase of the BRT project.”

“These new statistics prove that more needs to be done to analyze evidence-based solutions that will significantly reduce wildlife vehicle collisions on SR 224,” the advocacy group stated.

Park City Council members raised concerns about wildlife collisions in their December 2024 and January 2025 meetings, prompting the current grant pursuit