Normally, a porcupine and a bear wouldn’t have much in common, but in Utah, they both go across Interstate 80 on the same route.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources came up with a straightforward approach to lower traffic accidents and safeguard the area’s furrier residents because the busy six-lane highway can be dangerous for wildlife.

The Parley’s Canyon wildlife overpass, which is made entirely of rocks, logs, and boulders, was opened to the public in December 2018.

Officials thought it might be years before the bridge was utilized because animals normally need some time to adapt to changes in their surroundings. However, the animals were obviously appreciative of the substitute, and researchers quickly observed surprising results.

The Utah Department of Transportation and Utah State University use a hidden camera to monitor the “traffic” on the overpass, and they were delighted to learn how many lives it has saved by the year 2020.

In a video that was made available in November, moose, deer, bears, porcupines, squirrels, bobcats, and raccoons can be seen moseying across the pebbled path to reach new territory and feeding areas.

Here, you may view every animal that the bridge has rescued:

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources posted on Facebook, “It’s working!” As you can see, the overpass has been successful in allowing wildlife to safely cross the congested Interstate 80 while also making driving considerably safer for motorists.

Six additional wildlife crossings and barriers have been constructed along Utah’s animal migratory routes in 2020 as a result of the overpass’s success. It’s hard to estimate how many lives they’ve saved, but it only goes to show how deliberate actions may have a significant effect.