![]() ![]() An open bridge provides that natural look and fits well within the environment.” “This site required an open look and flexibility for future widening of I-80. “Many freeway overpasses use large culverts with earth over the top,” Sletten said. Studying those existing bridges provided the Utah bridge designers with an understanding of one of the big challenges they faced-integration of soil and a drainage system into the bridge surface. As more animals are trained to use the bridge, its impact will be significant for the well-being of wildlife populations and motorists alike.Īlthough a first for Utah, construction of wildlife-specific bridges are becoming prevalent in the western U.S. Still, it will likely take another two to three years before wildlife develop an instinct to use it as a safe crossing. Three-and-a-half miles of fencing along both sides of the highway on either side of the bridge will funnel animals towards the new overpass. WSP worked closely with UDOT and DWR to understand length, width and surface parameters that would be attractive for wildlife. The drainage system had to be designed to handle the melting of large amounts of snow in the winter to keep runoff from leaking onto traffic below.” “This is a bridge that will not have snow removed, so it is possible that there could be times when several feet of snow may accumulate on the deck. “It did require innovative approaches to design for loads that are considerably different than what AASHTO standards typically require,” Sletten said. Still, designers did factor in some variables, owing certain conditions that would be special for a bridge where the top surface does not tie into a road and it is entirely landscaped for wildlife. Prior to the start of the design process, the corridor had been studied for nearly 10 years to identify how a crossing could be provided.”Īlthough the purpose is unusual, Sletten said its design and construction adhered to many of the techniques used for modern overpass structures. “Due to the terrain and width of I-80, it was a very challenging corridor for a wildlife bridge. “This design was chosen based on a good balance of cost, form and function,” Sletten said. Three designs were considered for the bridge before UDOT chose an open, two-span plate girder option with a delta pier and spill-through abutments. That ceremony was also the last time people were permitted to walk across the overpass. 13 ceremony, which marked its official opening as a wildlife crossing. The final landscaping boulder was placed on the bridge during a Dec. Preliminary design began in January 2017, with construction starting in early 2018. The firm worked on behalf of the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR), Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and Summit County. WSP served as the prime designer, providing structural engineering as well as support for civil and geotechnical engineering, and landscape architecture. “Today, wildlife is better protected, drivers are safer and congestion due to these collisions has been greatly reduced.” “This bridge helps eliminate vehicle/wildlife conflicts through a corridor that had become known for collisions with animals,” Sletten said. It is a corridor that has experienced hundreds of animal-vehicle collisions over the past 10 years. The overpass provides safe passage for animals entering and leaving the Snyderville Basin and the Wasatch Back. The $5 million bridge is about 320 feet long, 50 feet wide, and spans three westbound lanes, four eastbound lanes, and the median along Interstate 80 (I-80). “It is longer than most wildlife crossings and is intended for large animals like moose, elk and deer.” ![]() “It is the first overpass in Utah designed to accommodate wildlife and not humans,” said Joshua Sletten, WSP project manager and senior supervising engineer. Located at the top of Parley's Canyon near the Salt Lake and Summit county line, the bridge is the first one built for this purpose in Utah … though if it proves successful in its intent, it may not be the last. But a new overpass designed by WSP USA was built specifically to link animal habitats separated by an interstate highway. Usually, bridges are built for cars, trains, or non-motorized transportation. ![]()
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