Several new wildlife crossings are underway in Southern California, including a $114-million project in Agoura Hills that is set to open over the 101 Freeway later this year.
Planning has also begun for two smaller crossings in the Mojave Desert and three more spanning Interstate 15.
Conservationists and policy makers are cooperating to build the crossings, which will allow mountain lions, bighorn sheep and black bears to safely move about their environment.
Similar projects in states including Utah and Washington have significantly reduced wildlife-vehicle collisions and encouraged biodiversity.
Construction for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway began in 2022 and and is scheduled to open in December after delays. It will be the world’s largest, covering ten lanes of traffic with 210 feet of vegetated bridge.
“With projects like this, we’re reconnecting and restoring habitats so future generations can continue to enjoy California’s unmatched natural beauty,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.
The 101 is a major divider of wildlife habitat, particularly where the bridge will be built over a heavily traveled route northwest of Los Angeles.
The governor’s office said the crossing will help preserve several species, including the threatened mountain lion population in Los Angeles County.
Mountain lions’ numbers have been dwindling as healthy lions get killed by vehicles while trying to access other areas, experts say.
The project will also advance California’s goal of conserving 30% of the state’s land and coastal waters by 2030, the governor’s office said.
About 150 miles to the east, two crossings are planned near the Morongo and Yucca grades on State Route 62. The bridges will offer safe passage for wildlife near Joshua Tree National Park, where the highway disrupts the habitat for deer and other animals.
The Mojave Desert Land Trust has been leading an effort to build the crossings for years, and recently secured a $5-million planning grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board.
Construction won’t begin for at least another three years, according to the land trust. It will take around that long to complete engineering evaluations and permitting, KTLA reported.
On Interstate 15 between Los Angeles and Nevada, Caltrans and others are collaborating to build three more crossings planned to open in 2027.
Caltrans is working with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the high-speed rail company Brightline West, which is building a route from Las Vegas to Southern California.
The crossings will cover stretches of I-15 near Barstow and the state line at Primm. The roadway carries more than a million vehicles each month and runs through a key population of bighorn sheep, Caltrans said.
