Utah Eagle Mountain SR 73 Wildlife Crosswalk and Driver Warning System

The Utah Eagle Mountain SR 73 Mitigation Monitoring Project

The State Road (SR) 73 Eagle Mountain Wildlife Crosswalk and Wildlife- Detection-Driver Warning System are part of an effort by Utah DOT and partners to limit mule deer movements over SR 73 to a specific crosswalk opening in the wildlife exclusion fence where a detection system warns drivers when mule deer are at the crosswalk entrances. The primary objectives of this study were to evaluate if the System reduces vehicle speeds and reduces WVC. Secondary objectives included quantitatively measuring the accuracy of the System for detecting wildlife, and categorizing and tallying mule deer movements at the crosswalk. The researchers use cameras traps to record mule deer presence on both sides of the road near the crosswalk, and Stalker traffic detector devices to measure vehicle speed.

Check Out Links to Reports, Movies, and Media

Media Coverage

A Utah Community is Building a “Luge” for Mule Deer

By Ben Goldfarb

September 2024

Eagle Mountain has built fences to funnel mule deer across SR 73 and out of neighborhoods. Ben Goldfarb ponders what we are creating.

How do you protect wildlife from sprawl?

By Ben Goldfarb

August 2024

A High Country News story by Ben Goldfarb on the Eagle Mountain situation where mule deer are only allowed in specific areas for their migrations.

Videos and Pictures

International Conference on Ecology and Transportation Dr. Cramer talk: Wildlife-Detection Driver Warning Systems’ Performance Under Two Different Sets of Conditions

May 2025

Dr. Cramer presented on how two different wildlife-detection driver warning systems work in Utah and Colorado, with recommendations for future systems.

Pictures of Wildlife Approaching the Crosswalk & The System