Utah’s Wildlife Crossings Are Changing The Game For Animals

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the Utah Department of Transportation and a broad network of partners made significant progress in 2025 toward reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and improving migration routes for wildlife and fish across the state. Through new infrastructure, targeted studies and habitat improvements, these efforts aim to protect both motorists and the natural movement patterns that are essential to Utah’s ecosystems.

Projects To Reduce Deer Encounters On Highways 89 And 18

In southern Utah, several projects focused on areas with high collision rates or important migration corridors. East of Kanab, the DWR placed GPS tracking collars on mule deer to better understand movement patterns along Highway 89. The data will support the construction of three new wildlife crossings, along with additional exclusion fencing and related infrastructure. Along state Route 18 between Diamond Valley and Central, changeable message boards were deployed to warn drivers of deer crossings in a seasonal hotspot for collisions, particularly during winter. Wildlife exclusion fencing was also added along I-15 near Fillmore and Leeds to guide animals toward safer crossing points.

Aquatic species were also a focus of recent work. The DWR partnered with Sevier County to stabilize a section of Clear Creek near Fremont Indian State Park in a way that protects a key county road while maintaining fish passage. This was critical to ongoing efforts to restore the Clear Creek drainage to native species such as the Bonneville cutthroat trout. In Zion National Park, a collaboration between the park and the DWR resulted in the removal of the Temple of Sinawava Dam on the North Fork of the Virgin River. The low-head dam was identified as a major barrier to fish movement and was demolished in March 2025, restoring a natural river gradient and allowing upstream passage.

Several studies are shaping future projects. Work is underway on a wildlife-vehicle collision reduction study along I-84 in Box Elder County, a documented roadkill hotspot and key migration corridor between Utah and Idaho. A similar study along I-70, focused on elk and deer collisions, is nearing completion and will guide future crossing and fencing solutions. HawkWatch International also launched a study aimed at reducing eagle and raptor strikes along Utah roadways.

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These efforts are part of the broader Utah Wildlife Migration Initiative, founded in 2017 to track and protect wildlife movement using GPS and fish-tagging data. Utah’s long history of innovation in this area dates back to 1975, when the nation’s first wildlife overpass was built near Beaver. State leaders emphasize that continued collaboration and grant funding will be essential to expanding these proven solutions, according to a joint press release.