ASHEVILLE – Why did the black bear cross the road? There’s a good reason for the age-old joke’s punchline, whether referring to a chicken or a large mammal. “To get to the other side” appears to be just what bear, deer and now even some elk, are doing as they cross Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River Gorge, a 20-mile area about midway between Asheville and Newport, Tennessee, and U.S. 19 between Maggie Valley and Cherokee. Bears are crossing the road in rising numbers. That increased traffic, combined with the ever-growing flow of people, cars and tractor-trailers over the four-lane highway, is leading to more wildlife-vehicle collisions, animal deaths and human injuries. Among other costs: cleanup, car repairs, hospital bills, insurance claims and even lost tourism. The problem isn’t going away, said Jeffrey Hunter, senior program manager with the National Parks Conservation Association. Hunter worked with the Federal Highway Administration to convene a two-day meeting of international minds in October in Maggie Valley to address the serious issue of wildlife connectivity in the gorge. More: Bridges for bears: Do wildlife corridors work? “We’re trying to improve wildlife’s ability to safely get across the road, which will in effect, improve public safety in this busy corridor,” said… Read full this story
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