Soil is now being laid over the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Southern California, aligning with the ongoing development of the world’s largest wildlife crossing.
A project headed by Caltrans and the National Wildlife Federation aims to cover nearly an acre of the bridge with soil to assist wildlife movement. This bridge, located in Agoura Hills, will eventually extend across ten lanes of U.S. Highway 101. Completion of the soil placement is expected to require around 6,000 cubic yards and span several weeks.
Governor Gavin Newsom remarked, “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.”
This development constitutes a crucial advance in establishing an ecological corridor to benefit local wildlife such as mountain lions, deer, bats, bobcats, desert cottontails, and monarch butterflies. Weather permitting, native plantings should commence in May with around 5,000 native plants.
Caltrans Director Tony Tavares noted, “Wildlife crossings are unique because they allow people and nature to thrive together. 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 crossing will also feature coastal sage scrub plant species from the Santa Monica Mountains, incorporated into environmental restoration plans covering 12 acres and 50,000 native plants.
The initiative, which started with a groundbreaking on Earth Day 2022 with Governor Newsom, represents a significant public-private collaboration involving many organizations focused on wildlife habitat protection in Southern California. Wildlife crossings play a fundamental role in conserving interconnected lands and waters, fulfilling California’s 30×30 conservation goals, and supporting thriving ecosystems alongside transportation infrastructure.
