Safe Passage

The I-40 Pigeon River Gorge Wildlife Crossing Project

Help us build a way to get animals safely across I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge.

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“C’mon baby!”

To cross or not to cross?

For wildlife whose ancestors have traversed our landscapes for centuries in search of food, mates, and territory, this is not the question. Their instinct is to continue moving across age-old geographical paths. 

But humans have made this natural migration more and more difficult by fragmenting large sections of protected forest, bisecting them with huge roads fraught with heavy, fast-moving vehicles. 

The resulting rise in collisions with large mammals has become a serious concern not only for conservation, but also for human safety, economics and culture. 

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Video courtesy of Susan Detwiler. While driving through the Pigeon River Gorge, Susan and her husband captured this hold-your-breath moment, which demonstrates the dangerous plight of wildlife navigating our roadways. They sent us this video in support of the work being done to help these animals.

Meet the Animals

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Help Them Cross

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We’re In This Together

Nearly a hundred professionals and staff from more than 20 partner organizations contribute their time, skills, and technical assistance. Together, we are working to create opportunities for wildlife to safely cross Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River Gorge. 

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Latest News

In the News: WATE 6 interviews Safe Passage’s Jeff Hunter

Posted on August 22, 2022

Good Morning Tennessee on Knoxville’s WATE 6 aired an interview with Safe Passage facilitator Jeff Hunter about a report released this summer that details the effects of driver activity along Interstate 40 on wildlife in the Smokies. “From 2019 to 2021, the organization I work...

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Safe Passage’s Jeff Hunter named N.C. Wildlife Federation’s 2022 Wildlife Conservationist of the Year

Posted on July 26, 2022

On July 20, as part of the 58th Annual Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards, North Carolina Wildlife Federation announced Safe Passage's Jeff Hunter as the 2022 Wildlife Conservationist of the Year.

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Research results unveiled for Safe Passage project area, providing framework for wildlife–vehicle collision prevention

Posted on June 29, 2022

On June 29, two partners of the Safe Passage Fund Coalition released their official report on findings after more than three years of study in the Pigeon River Gorge.

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Fletcher students, Safe Passage partners met with N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper June 2 to advocate for wildlife crossings in the state

Posted on June 6, 2022

Cooper met with student supporters, representatives, and partners of the Safe Passage Fund Coalition in a roundtable discussion about the importance of wildlife crossings in the state. 

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Not just about the bears: Researchers consider mesocarnivore needs in Safe Passage study

Posted on May 6, 2022

Black bear, elk and white-tailed deer aren't the only animals being studied through the Safe Passage project. Co-research lead Steve Goodman examines the needs of mesocarnivores when it comes to wildlife crossings in the Pigeon River Gorge.

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Bears at guardrail image courtesy of Bridget Donaldson, Virginia Transportation Research Council.