“Save People Save Wildlife (SPSW) is asking the community to send letters demanding safe passage for wildlife on SR 224. SPSW has received over 600 letters from the community to date! If you haven’t already, please join us by sending your letter by Jan. 30 with the subject line: “I support safe passage for wildlife on SR 224” to our email address: [email protected].
These letters will be distributed to local and state and federal government entities to indicate that the community needs and demands safe passage for our resident wildlife.
The community has also spoken with their donation dollars: over $258,000 received!
SPSW is working with Summit County, Park City, DWR and UDOT to implement permanent, effective, viable solutions and determine the exact locations for these solutions. Safe passage for wildlife means safe passage for all.
As of September 22, 2022, Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Region 2, per multiple requests by SPSW, reduced the speed limit to 45 mph on SR 224 from Kimball Junction to PayDay Drive.
Awareness of the speed limit reduction, as well as its enforcement, remains an issue with speeding concerns on SR 224.
The Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) released recent statistics for Summit County (and Wasatch County) roadways: Wildlife vehicle collisions totaled over 400 on our local roadways last year.
The upcoming Bus Rapid Transit Project/System (BRT) will create dedicated bus lanes on each side of SR 224 by implementing shoulder improvements. In some locations, the width of SR 224 will be increased from the current 82 feet in width to 115 in width. The SR 224 corridor is already a deadly barrier for wildlife movement.
The number of wildlife-vehicle collisions could increase due to the widening of S.R. 224 — per the High Valley Transit public open house brochure. Therefore, SPSW is advocating for wildlife crossings and wildlife fencing to guide the resident wildlife to these underpasses and overpasses on SR 224 in advance of the BRT.
Without wildlife connectivity components in place, SR 224 will become even more dangerous for motorists and impermeable to wildlife.
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Park City Police, and Utah Highway Patrol are collaborating while respecting jurisdictional boundaries concerning speed limit enforcement. SPSW is endeavoring to get all government agencies together to improve upon enforcement efforts.
UDOT placed lighted wildlife warning signs and driver feedback signs on SR 224 in May 2023 after many months of urging by SPSW.
SPSW placed reflective moose silhouettes on SR 224 near Cutter Lane in May 2023. SPSW also donated deer silhouettes to Swaner Preserve and elk silhouettes to Park City. These reflective silhouettes were placed along SR 224 to increase driver attention and create awareness of wildlife frequently crossing SR 224.
These efforts at reducing and eliminating wildlife vehicle collisions/conflicts on SR 224 are many, and hopefully they have prevented some events from occurring. However, these current efforts are not viable, permanent solutions nor the most effective for SR 224.
After more than 30 years of studying this roadway, it has become evident that these are temporary, cost effective measures that rely on driver behavior and driver responses, something beyond our control. Wildlife crossings, in conjunction with wildlife fencing to guide the resident wildlife to the underpasses and overpasses, are the only viable solution to reducing and eliminating wildlife vehicle collisions on SR 224.”
The community is speaking with letters of support and donation dollars. With the cooperation of local, state, and federal government entities, Save People Save Wildlife can implement permanent solutions for wildlife safe passage on SR 224 in a timely manner.
Since 2015, Save People Save Wildlife, with overwhelming community support, has given wildlife a voice. With the continued placement of wildlife fencing along Interstate 80 and the placement of the Parleys Wildlife Overpass in 2018, the SPSW partnership with UDOT has produced great results. We need to perpetuate these effective solutions and implement more crossings and fencing where the local roadways pose a threat to both the resident wildlife and the motorists on the roadways.
For more information, visit: https://savepeoplesavewildlife.org.
Erin Ferguson
Save People Save Wildlife