Monitoring Parley's Canyon Overpass: Wildlife Approach and Use Rates

Details

• Creators:
  Frey, S. Nicki ; DeSouza, Natalie ; Ledbetter, Blake ; Petrie, Mackensie
• Corporate Creators:
  Utah State University. Dept. of Wildland Resources
• Corporate Publisher:
  Utah Department of Transportation
• Corporate Contributors:
  Utah. Department of Transportation. Research and Innovation Division ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Deer
  • Overpasses
  • Implementation
  • Recommendations
  • Wildlife crossings
  • Monitoring
  • Mule deer
  • Overpass crossing
• Publication/ Report Number:
  UT-26.13
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Utah
• Edition:
  Final Report: May 2020 - September 2024
• Description:
  In 2018, the Utah Department of Transportation installed an overpass that was much longer than it is wide (0.13 width to length ratio, the recommended ratio is 0.8) across a major Interstate. The purpose of our study was to determine if the target species, mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), as well as other animals such as moose (Alces alces) and elk (Cervus canadensis) would use this crossing structure. Additionally, we sought to determine if there were seasonal or temporal influences on successful crossing rates. We conducted an observational study using trail cameras installed along Parley's Canyon Overpass from May 2020 to September 2024, to record wildlife use of the overpass. We recorded 4335 unique visits to the overpass, involving 5395 animals and at least 34 species. Summer was the time of the greatest visitation and crossing rates of the overpass, with little activity from November - March. The most common animal detected at the overpass were mule deer (>3600), although a wide variety of animals used the overpass in some way over the course of the study. Mule deer and moose successfully used the overpass 97.9% (of 1,973 visits) and 100% (of 65 visits) of total visits, respectively; however, elk only made 3 successful crossings (23.08%). We suggest that, due to high success rates regardless of season or time of day, mule deer feel safe enough to cross Parley's overpass if they encounter it regardless of when they encounter it. Additionally, overpasses with smaller width-to-length ratios like Parley's overpass can be used by mule deer and moose successfully, but not elk.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  20-8915
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/94307/dot_94307_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.40 MB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:fc752198d0ea7ca266a990e17230729086846cb429c21d49a30e4ddfb6f4fd3ea5ed87e4ca01ac97038837bbfb925aa4217c7c52613a138ea319fbe32a37716d