It’s been years since locals called the Parleys Canyon section of I-80 “Slaughterhouse Row,” where the collision of animals and vehicles was a macabre, dangerous feature of the SLC/Park City commute.
The 2018 opening of the UDOT I-80 wildlife overpass “reduced collisions by 66 to 77 percent,” says Erin Ferguson of Save People Save Wildlife, the Park City grassroots nonprofit that lobbied heavily for the overpass. Formed by Erin and her husband Ryan in 2015, the couple formed the nonprofit to protect people and animals, tirelessly advocating for wildlife overpasses on our busy state and federal roadways.
The success at Parleys Summit – where in 2021 alone, 3.5 miles of fencing funneled more than 700 animals safely across the interstate – proved overpasses work.
Today, Erin passionately pursues a similar crossing for SR224, our busy gateway that requires drivers and wildlife to be on high alert. “Forty-eight large mammals were involved in SR224 collisions in 2024 alone, per our observations,” she says. “We’re working to create awareness that will compel UDOT to place crossings and make it safer.”
A Utah native, Erin arrived in PC with Ryan in 2010. They were quickly appalled by the carnage on I-80. “We needed to fix what we had broken and coexist with wildlife,” Erin recalls. Save People Save Wildlife resonated with Parkites immediately, raising thousands in just days to help UDOT prioritize the Parleys Wildlife Overpass. “The community made that happen,” Erin says proudly.
Sadly, Ryan died of brain cancer just months before its opening. “I wish he could see what he helped accomplish,” Erin says. “Thank you, Ryan!”
In 2025, Erin and her volunteers are laser-focused on SR224. “We can accomplish this before the Olympics,” she believes. “Hundreds of letters and donations indicate people want to see animals on SR224 provided safe passage.”
“We cannot thank this community enough for their support,” she smiles.