Bend to Suttle Lake Wildlife Passage Initiative
Restoring habitat connectivity is crucial for migrating wildlife that need to access different places in different seasons.
Our goal is to construct safe wildlife crossings for the benefit of wildlife and motorists along a 35-mile stretch of Oregon’s Highway 20 between Bend and Suttle Lake.
Challenge
The Most Dangerous Highway in Oregon
Highway 20, between Bend and Suttle Lake, crosses through several important wildlife movement corridors for mule deer, elk and other wildlife, according to wildlife studies conducted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Per the Oregon Department of Transportation, this section of highway sees the highest density of deer and elk wildlife-vehicle collisions in the entire state, with 350 to 600 mule deer and elk killed every year by vehicle strikes.
Solution
A Proven Technique to Improve Safety for People and Wildlife
Wildlife underpasses or overpasses are proven to significantly reduce collisions. There is broad bipartisan support for wildlife crossings from voters in urban, suburban, and rural communities across the state. And, wildlife crossings are a wise investment, preventing costly damage.
“Wildlife crossings are a technology for inviting animals into our midst — for permitting them to move across landscapes that we humans increasingly dominate.”
Ben Goldfarb, author of Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet
This is an important opportunity to make travel safer, for ourselves and for our native wildlife.
Sign up to hear about opportunities to advocate for wildlife crossings or attend related events.