The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, a collaborative project between various organizations and institutions, aims to establish a safe and sustainable passage for animals across the 101 Freeway near Liberty Canyon Road in Agoura Hills. Key partners in this initiative include Caltrans, the National Park Service, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, and the National Wildlife Federation.
The primary goal of this wildlife crossing project is to reduce wildlife fatalities, facilitate the movement of animals, and promote genetic exchange. Without a dedicated crossing, the ability for wildlife to move between different natural habitats in the Santa Monica Mountains is severely limited.
Recently announced by Makenna Sievertson, Caltrans will be implementing lane closures on the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills for construction work on the wildlife crossing. Beginning on April 15th, 2024, all southbound lanes of the freeway will be closed for five hours each night. Construction crews will be installing the initial girders, which are large, reinforced concrete boxes that form the foundation of the wildlife crossing structure. These girders will support the crossing’s span across the busy highway.
During construction, drivers will need to use detours while northbound lanes remain open. Groundbreaking for this project took place on Earth Day in 2022 with an anticipated completion date in early 2026. For more information about this unique initiative please refer to our original source article.