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I-80 closures extended one day for construction of wildlife bridge

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Interstate 80 will close Tuesday and Wednesday to place beams for a wildlife overpass at Parleys Summit, July 30, 2018.

  | Aug. 1, 2018, 2:32 p.m.
| Updated: Aug. 2, 2018, 12:06 a.m.

Saving the lives of wildlife will take a bit longer than expected, extending closures on Interstate 80 at Parleys Summit.

The plan was to close westbound lanes on Tuesday night and eastbound lanes on Wednesday between mileposts 137 and 141 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. But UDOT announced that westbound lanes will close again on Wednesday night and eastbound lanes will now be closed Thursday, also from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m.

Drivers will need to detour on Interstate 84 through Morgan Canyon, or U.S. 189 through Provo Canyon and then U.S. 40 back to Park City.

The closures are because UDOT is building a 330-foot-long, 48-foot-wide bridge designed to allow wildlife to cross I-80 safely. In the past two years, at least 106 animals have been killed on the highway in that area — 98 deer, three moose, two raccoons, two elk and a cougar all struck and killed by vehicles.