Support Funding for Wildlife Crossings

Source Weekly letter to the editor by Malcom Costello

After years of driving between Portland and Bend, I've seen firsthand the dangers people and wildlife face on our roads — dead deer along the highway, sudden animal crossings in low light and long delays caused by animal-vehicle collisions. These incidents aren't just inconvenient; they're dangerous and tragic for both people and wildlife. There are over 7,000 documented deer or elk collisions a year, costing an estimated $140 million. By contrast, the wildlife underpasses along Highway 97 south of Lava Butte have reduced such collisions by 90%. The lesson is simple: Wildlife crossings work. The problem isn't that deer cross our roads— it's that our roads cross their forests. It's our responsibility to build safe passage where highways cut through critical habitats.