State to spend nearly $10 million on unusual traffic solution for busy highway: 'Vital for safety'

Utah's push to protect wildlife and drivers just got a major boost thanks to a $9.6 million federal grant to fund critical safety improvements along U.S. 40.

The Utah Department of Transportation plans to install extensive new fencing along the highway, focusing on a high-risk area where 60% of crashes over the past seven years have involved animals.

"We [will] rehabilitate three structures that can be crossings, and build an all-new one in between Strawberry Reservoir and Starvation Reservoir on U.S. 40," said Matt Howard, UDOT natural resources manager, per KSL NewsRadio.

"It was selected because of how many carcasses get picked up, how many crashes get reported to law enforcement, and then caller data provided [to UDOT] by the Division of Wildlife Resources," Howard added.

The initiative builds on Utah's pioneering legacy in wildlife protection. The state constructed America's first wildlife crossing in 1975 near Beaver and has since expanded to maintain more than 60 such passages throughout its highway system.

These improvements promise significant positive changes for local communities. Families traveling along U.S. 40 will face reduced risks of dangerous and costly wildlife collisions, while animals will gain safer access to their natural habitats.

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"This grant will help us reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, all while keeping Utah — and even its wildlife populations — moving," Howard said, per UDOT. "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. Our goal is to cut down wildlife-vehicle collisions and make sure everyone is safe."

In addition to the U.S. 40 improvements, UDOT is developing plans to extend wildlife fencing in Kanab and seeking additional funding to enhance a current project near Echo Junction.

This project and others like it represent a forward-thinking approach to infrastructure development that acknowledges both human safety needs and environmental conservation. These improvements will have a long-lasting impact, creating safer roads for local residents while ensuring that Utah's diverse wildlife populations can maintain their natural movement patterns.