Our Approach
Reducing wildlife vehicle collisions and restoring movement between the Kettle Crest and the Cascades.
Highway 97 between Riverside and Tonasket is Washington’s highest wildlife collision hotspot, cutting through a key north–south movement route for mule deer, elk, and other species. This project focuses on securing funding and advancing design for a series of underpasses, overpasses, and fencing that will reconnect habitat, improve driver safety, and maintain one of the most important linkages in north central Washington.
Current Focus
Work We’re Doing to Achieve Safe Passage - Highway 97 Goals
Wildlife Crossing
We are advancing Safe Passage 97 through a phased, collaborative effort to reduce wildlife vehicle collisions and restore habitat connectivity in the Okanogan Valley.
Working with partners including WSDOT, the Mule Deer Foundation, and the Colville Confederated Tribes, we combine construction, science, and policy to improve safety along a high collision corridor. The Janis Bridge undercrossing was the first major milestone, adding fencing, gates, and cattle guards to guide wildlife safely beneath Highway 97.
Early monitoring shows strong results, with a 91% reduction in collisions and frequent use by multiple species.
Corridor Expansion Strategy
Beyond initial construction, we lead the partnership and funding strategy to expand Safe Passage 97 across the full 12 mile corridor.
Impact & Results
A History of of Safe Passage - Highway 97
Safe Passage 97 has grown through long-term collaboration to reduce wildlife collisions and improve connectivity. Early successes like the Janis Bridge retrofit and secured funding have supported expansion toward a full corridor crossing network.
Building broad public, political, and Tribal support
Phase I success: Janis Bridge retrofit and dramatic collision reduction
Securing major funding to advance Phase II
Building broad public, political, and Tribal support
For more than a decade, Conservation Northwest has built strong backing for Safe Passage 97 by partnering with groups like the Mule Deer Foundation and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and engaging thousands of community members across the region and state.
Phase I success: Janis Bridge retrofit and dramatic collision reduction
In 2020, $220,000 in donor contributions funded the retrofit of Janis Bridge into a wildlife undercrossing and one mile of directional fencing. Within two years, wildlife vehicle collisions in that segment dropped by 91%, and cameras now document more than 2,000 wildlife crossings per year under the bridge.
Securing major funding to advance Phase II
In 2022, the success of Phase I helped secure $3.7 million from the Washington Legislature, which is now being used as match for an additional $14 million in grant applications to extend the project another five miles south. Staff will continue pursuing all available funding to ultimately complete the full 12 mile corridor and protect both people and wildlife.
Impact & Results
Our Key Accomplishments in Forest Habitat
From protecting critical landscapes to advancing collaborative forest restoration, these efforts deliver lasting benefits for wildlife, habitat connectivity, and climate resilience.
Phase I Results
Dramatic Reduction in Wildlife Vehicle Collisions Through Janis Bridge Crossing
In Phase I (completed mid 2020s), the program reduced wildlife vehicle collisions from roughly 40 per year to three or fewer, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Janis Bridge undercrossing and associated fencing for mule deer, lynx, and other species.
Wildlife Connectivity Validation
GPS Collared Lynx Confirm Landscape-Scale Movement Across Highway 97
In 2025, GPS collared lynx successfully crossed Highway 97 within the project area, providing clear evidence that this corridor supports landscape-scale connectivity between the Colville Reservation and the Loomis.
Phase II Expansion
Advancing Funding and New Wildlife Crossing Infrastructure
The program has advanced Phase II by refining federal funding applications and building bipartisan support for permanent Wildlife Crossing Pilot Program funding, while identifying two additional crossing structures and more than five miles of planned fencing to extend safe passage along the corridor.
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