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.

Get Involved

“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. 

Learn more

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

Learn more

Help Them Cross

Learn more

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. 

Learn more

Latest News

North Carolina General Assembly appropriates $2 million for wildlife crossings 

Posted on November 22, 2023

In honor of Road Safety Week, the Safe Passage Fund Coalition applauds the North Carolina General Assembly for appropriating $2 million in funding for infrastructure to help reduce wildlife–vehicle collisions across the state. This infrastructure—which includes overpasses, underpasses and fencing along roads and highways—is critical...

Read more.

An interview with filmmaker Ted Grudowski, director of ‘Cascade Crossroads’ documentary

Posted on September 29, 2023

By Frances Figart Safe Passage is excited to host Ted Grudowski, whose films about road ecology in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State will be featured at The Crossing, a short-film screening coming to Asheville’s Pléb Urban Winery in the River Arts District on Thursday,...

Read more.

Why focus on the Pigeon River Gorge?

Posted on August 14, 2023

Aerial photos of I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge by SouthWings. By Steve Goodman, Safe Passage Co-Research Lead and Conservation Biologist for National Parks Conservation Association Safe Passage is on a mission to improve wildlife’s ability to safely cross I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge,...

Read more.

Event: The Crossing – A Short-Film Screening, Oct. 26

Posted on August 9, 2023

THE CROSSING: A short-film screening about animals, highways and ideas Since 2017, 20-some regional organizations have been collaborating to make Interstate 40 between Asheville and Knoxville safer for people and wildlife. This partnership ultimately led to the creation of Safe Passage: The I-40 Pigeon River...

Read more.

Habituation at Harmon Den: Next steps for wildlife after crossing construction

Posted on April 14, 2023

Our partners at the N.C. Department of Transportation recently constructed infrastructure for wildlife. Since then, we’ve been monitoring how wildlife are interacting with the new crossings.

Read more.

More news

Don’t miss a thing.

Subscribe to the Safe Passage newsletter to stay up to date with upcoming events, how you can help, and what the coalition is doing towards wildlife mitigation in the region. 

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