Safe Passage

The I-40 Pigeon River Gorge Wildlife Crossing Project

north carolina

NC Residents: Urgent action is needed for wildlife!

The North Carolina General Assembly opens this week, and the Safe Passage Coalition is asking legislators to set aside funds for wildlife crossings across the state. 

We need your help!

North Carolina residents, please contact your representatives today and urge them to support $10 million for targeted funding for wildlife crossings in the state budget this year. A sample below can aid in messaging. 

If you don’t know who your N.C. representatives are or how to reach them, please visit ncleg.gov/findyourlegislators.

Read on for more details on this effort. 

Thank you for speaking up for wildlife! 

— Your friends at Safe Passage Coalition 

FIND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE

Dear Representative/Senator ______,

I am a constituent of yours from [CITY], North Carolina, and I am urging you to support $10 million in targeted state funding for wildlife crossings. Wildlife and motorists across our state need added protections on roadways; according to State Farm, North Carolina is a high-risk state for animal-vehicle collisions, coming in at 16th in the nation. Estimates show that these collisions cost N.C. a total of $400-$500 million per year.

Wildlife crossings can take various forms based on location, from simple fencing around underpasses and culverts to overpasses spanning the roadway. Properly designed wildlife crossings pay for themselves in costs saved for emergency and medical assistance, property damage, and value of animals lost.

Please support targeted state funding to improve motorist safety, reduce collision costs, and protect valued natural resources.

Thank you, 

[YOUR NAME]

COPY SAMPLE TEXT TO AN EMAIL*

*When using the email template from this link, remember to add in your representative’s email address and name, as well as your own town or city. 
Click here to find your legislator’s contact information.

Why support funding for wildlife crossings in North Carolina?

NC Fact Sheet 2024Download

North Carolina General Assembly appropriates $2 million for wildlife crossings 

Safe Passage Fund Coalition is grateful for investment in Haywood County

RALEIGH, N.C. — 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 in increasing safety along roadways for wildlife and humans alike.

“We are so grateful that the North Carolina General Assembly has prioritized funding to reduce wildlife–vehicle collisions on Interstate 40 near the Smokies in Haywood County,” said Jeff Hunter, Southern Appalachian director of National Parks Conservation Association, a Safe Passage Fund Coalition member. “This is a win-win for wildlife and the motoring public. We are hopeful that this investment will help leverage federal dollars to address this issue statewide.” 

The N.C. Department of Transportation reports that the new funding in the budget will allow it to address three of the 13 Interstate 40 projects recommended by the Safe Passage Fund Coalition. Combined with the five projects that are already funded, this would bring the projects to a total of eight of the 13 recommended.

NCDOT plans to use the majority of the $2 million from this budget for additional wildlife fencing, planning, and the construction of a mitigation project at Hurricane Creek. The remaining funds will be used to develop estimates and feasibility plans for two potential wildlife overpasses, one bridge replacement, and two culvert replacements.

“NCDOT is excited to receive this funding and to continue the development and delivery of these important projects for Haywood County and western NC,” said Wanda Payne, NCDOT Division 14 engineer.

A sign at the exit ramp for Harmon Den on Interstate 40 in Haywood County alerts drivers to be aware of the new wildlife guard, which was installed as part of the 2022 bridge reconstruction. The wildlife guard discourages large animal species from approaching the interstate to cross. Photo by Elly Wells, courtesy of the Safe Passage Fund Coalition

“North Carolina’s funding to support wildlife safe passage across roads will help provide habitat connectivity essential for the persistence of healthy wildlife populations, especially in the face of environmental changes that are increasingly transforming and fragmenting the landscape,” said Ben Prater, Safe Passage steering committee member and Southeast program director at Defenders of Wildlife, a member of the coalition. 

NCDOT finished installing wildlife accommodations around the Harmon Den exit that include animal crossings on both sides of Cold Springs Creek, ungulate guards at all four ramps, and wildlife fencing around the interchange.

“Protecting wildlife from roadway collisions is critical for our infrastructure, the safety of motorists, natural ecosystems, and maintaining a positive image for North Carolina,” said Tim Gestwicki, CEO of North Carolina Wildlife Federation and chair of the Safe Passage Fund Coalition’s steering committee. “We are glad to see bipartisan support for this critically important work in our state.”

North Carolina House includes $5 million for wildlife crossings in 2023/2024 budget

Safe Passage Fund Coalition encourages state senate to appropriate full amount

The Safe Passage Fund Coalition applauds the North Carolina House of Representatives for appropriating $5 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 in increasing safety along roadways for wildlife and humans alike. 

“We are so grateful that the House has prioritized funding to reduce wildlife–vehicle collisions on Interstate 40 near the Smokies and elsewhere around North Carolina,” said Jeff Hunter, Southern Appalachian director of National Parks Conservation Association, a Safe Passage Fund Coalition member. “This is a win-win for wildlife and the motoring public. We encourage the Senate to appropriate $5 million in their budget to help leverage federal dollars to address this issue statewide.” 

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, 20,331 wildlife–vehicle collisions were reported across the state in 2019, and 18,607 such collisions were reported in 2020 — a decrease the NCDOT largely attributes to reduced travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2021 release from the department additionally estimated that 7% of all reported vehicle crashes in the state involve animal strikes, with almost half occurring in the twilight hours or at night, between October and December. 

Safe Passage urges our North Carolina supporters to contact their state senator today to encourage them to request $5 million in the budget for wildlife crossings.

CONTACT YOUR SENATOR

“North Carolina’s funding to support wildlife safe passage across roads will help provide habitat connectivity essential for the persistence of healthy North Carolina wildlife populations, especially in the face of environmental changes that are increasingly transforming and fragmenting landscapes,” said Liz Hillard, Safe Passage co-research lead and senior wildlife biologist at Wildlands Network, a member of the coalition.  

All appropriated funds will help leverage unprecedented federal resources and could help complete projects currently underway. In the Pigeon River Gorge, one such project, along I-40 at Exit 7 near Harmon Den, has seen progress recently with the installation of wildlife benches and cattle guards to deter wildlife from making dangerous crossings into traffic. But critically important fencing to funnel wildlife under the highway has not yet been installed due to lack of funding.

Earlier this year, members of the Safe Passage Fund Coalition issued an action alert to their supporters to urge N.C. Governor Roy Cooper to allocate funding to protect wildlife from roadway collisions, citing President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included $350 million for wildlife crossing construction over and under roadways. 

“Protecting wildlife from roadway collisions is critical for infrastructure, the safety of motorists, natural ecosystems, and maintaining a positive image for North Carolina,” said Tim Gestwicki, CEO of North Carolina Wildlife Federation and chair of Safe Passage Fund Coalition’s Steering Committee. “As roadway construction creates new barriers to long-established wildlife corridors, inevitably animals are increasingly encountering humans and their vehicles. These encounters result in animal and human injuries and fatalities, as well as increased costs for motorists and insurers, and litter our highways with decaying carcasses. Safe Passage Fund Coalition members encourage, and in fact urge North Carolina to join other states across the country to take proactive steps to reduce these wildlife–vehicle collisions.”

NCDOT calls for public comment on 10-year project plan

Now through Friday, Oct. 28, the North Carolina Department of Transportation is accepting public input on its transportation plan for 2024-2033.

The plan, known officially as the State Transportation Improvement Program, is updated approximately every two years and identifies the construction funding and schedule for projects statewide over a 10-year period.

NCDOT uses this public commentary to determine needs and interest levels for prioritizing projects across the state.

The Safe Passage Fund Coalition asks that supporters consider submitting comments that advocate for wildlife crossing projects in Haywood County, along the Pigeon River Gorge.

Suggested comment topics include:

  • Proven solutions to prevent wildlife–vehicle collisions include: improving existing structures like culverts and bridges that wildlife use to cross busy roads, or building new wildlife overpasses and underpasses so wildlife do not have to cross at road grade. Wildlife crossing structures have been shown to reduce motorist collisions involving wildlife by up to 97%.

  • Consider adding wildlife-friendly infrastructure in design and planning for bridge improvements already planned by NCDOT.

  • Construct large-mammal underpasses to reduce dangerous collisions with species such as white-tailed deer.

  • Construct small-mammal, reptile, and amphibian underpasses to significantly reduce roadkill.

  • Wildlife–vehicle collision-related costs add up to roughly $12 billion in the U.S. annually. The cost of a deer–vehicle collision averages around $6,000. Wildlife crossings can be costly upfront, but quickly pay for themselves by reducing the economic effects of collision emergency response, damages and repairs, medical bills, and reduced ecotourism dollars from wildlife viewing or hunting.

  • Every 26 seconds (or less) a driver hits an animal in the United States, making highways one of the greatest barriers to wildlife movement.

  • In addition to killing 1-2 million large animals every year, these collisions cause 200 human fatalities and more than 26,000 injuries nationwide.

  • Road mortality is a serious threat to 21 endangered and threatened species in the U.S.

  • The U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed by Congress in late 2021, includes $350 million for wildlife crossing infrastructure projects through a competitive grant program. With smart investment and continued public support, North Carolina can make its roads safer for people and wildlife alike.

Please consider filling out NCDOT’s survey and voicing your support for wildlife-friendly infrastructure in upcoming projects to improve safety for wildlife and motorists alike. All comments must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28.

SUBMIT MY COMMENTS TO NCDOT