Kemmerer HWY 189 Wildlife Crossing

THE PROBLEM

Mule deer and pronghorn are negatively impacted along this stretch of Highway 189. This conclusion is backed up through vehicle collision reports from WYDOT, and these movements are exhibited from collared mule deer, both from the Uinta and Wyoming Range mule deer herds. The right-of-way (ROW) fencing along Highway 189 is almost exclusively netwire which creates a movement barrier for pronghorn. This project would promote connectivity by benefiting migration patterns along with protecting wildlife on winter range.

While fall and spring migrations cause spikes in movement across HWY 189, there is continued intermittent movements back and forth HWY 189 throughout winter as it bisects traditional winter range for both previously mentioned deer herds. There are
two prominent winter range complexes that parallel both sides of the highway. The “hogback” complexes and Cumberland Flats make up what is the Leroy winter range and both parallel HWY 189 from nearly MM0 North along I-80 to nearly the Ham’s Fork Drainage up past MM30, creating the need for vehicle/wildlife collision mitigation along the majority of HWY 189 – South of Kemmerer. While existing ROW fence is net-wire, it is permeable for mule deer and allows for movement onto the highway increasing likelihood of wildlife vehicle collisions.

THE SOLUTION

Focusing on priorities for immediate alleviation of wildlife-vehicle collisions will be considered during phasing.