A herd of elk briefly shutdown traffic - while crossing a highway.

Video footage shared by the Utah Department of Transportation shows the herd approaching the road from the left and briefly stopping before crossing.

The animals can be seen jumping over the central reservation and far side barrier to the grass on the opposite side.

Traffic controls were put in place whilst the elk crossed - vehicles were stopped in both directions of the I-80.

In a Facebook post shared by the Utah Department of Transportation, they urged drivers to avoid the area whilst the situation was resolved.

Traffic was resumed after the elk were seen trotting off into the mountains, but officers warned motorists to remain cautious in the event of any ‘stragglers’.

This video was filmed on Wednesday (1/02).