Wildlife bridge construction 101 freeway reaches major milestone

LOS ANGELES – The world’s largest wildlife crossing is beginning to take shape.

Caltrans and the National Wildlife Federation celebrated the beginning of a project that will cover nearly an acre of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing with soil – making it easier for wildlife to move through its habitat. 

Crews placed the first layers of soil over the bridge, which will span ten lanes of the U.S. Highway 101 freeway in the city of Agoura Hills.

The total soil placement for the project will require approximately 6,000 cubic yards and will take several weeks to complete.

California is a state of dreamers and doers – and with the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, we’ve turned our dreaming into doing. As soil gets placed over the bridge, we’re one step closer to reconnecting wildlife with habitat that’s been divided for generations. We’re not only making habitats whole again, we’re making our roads safer.

Governor Gavin Newsom

This milestone represents a significant step toward the restoration of an ecological corridor that will support a variety of local wildlife, including mountain lions, deer, bats, bobcats, desert cottontails, monarch butterflies and more. Weather permitting, planting of approximately 5,000 native plants will begin in May.

“Wildlife crossings are unique because they allow people and nature to thrive together,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “By building the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, Caltrans is supporting transportation infrastructure that will not only reconnect and restore habitats but also reduce vehicle collisions with wildlife and enhance highway safety.”

The bridge will feature coastal sage scrub plant species native to the Santa Monica Mountains, contributing to the overall environmental restoration strategy that includes 12 acres of open space and 50,000 native plants.

How we got here

On Earth Day 2022, Governor Newsom participated in the groundbreaking for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, a public-private partnership of monumental scope that has leveraged the expertise and leadership of dozens of organizations and institutions to protect and restore wildlife habitats in Southern California.

Wildlife crossings of all kinds are essential to building a network of interconnected conserved lands and waters that protect and restore biodiversity while also supporting transportation infrastructure.

Habitat connectivity provided by wildlife crossings is critical to the success of California’s 30×30 targets and allows people and nature to thrive together.

To learn more about California infrastructure projects, visit build.ca.gov.