Whether it’s for people or wildlife, free and open access to public habitat has its champions. Lots of them, apparently.

Last week’s story and photo on the panicked state of a family of deer hemmed in by a chain-link fence along Post Road near Pawtuxet Village caught the eyes of many readers who shared the concern of Beacon Media publisher Joy Fox, who photographed the deer as they struggled to find a route away from the road and into the woods.

Eventually, the deer returned to where they had come from, crossing Post Road into the historical cemetery on the edge of the village. It was probably not their first time in that predicament. Social media has carried accounts of deer and other wildlife attempting to cross to and from the area.

An update from last week’s story: State Sen. Matthew LaMountain and Rep. Joseph McNamara are working on legislation giving the Department of Environmental Management the power to create rights of way to the river. McNamara is looking at eminent domain or some other means, but he sees a need reaching beyond the property the deer were trying to reach at 175 Post Rd.

“It would give the DEM director the power to recognize traditional access to waterways,” he said.

LaMountain, who gained Senate passage of legislation for the DEM to take access to the river by adverse possession last year – it didn’t make it to a vote in the House – said Saturday he would introduce legislation giving the DEM the power to take historically used paths to waterways for public use.

Stay tuned to see if there’s any truth to the adage ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way.’