New renderings of world's largest wildlife crossing over 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills released
The Brief
Construction crews will begin placing soil on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway on Monday.
The crossing will be the largest of its kind globally, featuring 5,000 native plants to support diverse wildlife.
It is scheduled for completion in 2026.
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. - Construction crews are set to begin placing soil on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway, marking a significant milestone in the project aimed at creating a native wildlife habitat.
What we know
Starting Monday, crews will place the first layers of soil on the nearly 1-acre wildlife habitat, which will eventually span 10 lanes of the freeway in Agoura Hills.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Construction continues on Agoura Hills wildlife crossing over 101 Freeway
The project requires approximately 6,000 cubic yards of soil and will take several weeks to complete.
The crossing began construction on Earth Day 2022 and is expected to be finished in 2026.
Big picture view
The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is designed to be a global model for urban wildlife conservation, facilitating safe passage for mountain lions, deer, bats, and other species.
The overpass is expected to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions on one of the most congested highways in North America, decreasing the significant danger posed to people and vehicles by crossing animals.
The project involves collaboration with soil scientists, biologists, engineers, and mycologists to ensure optimal conditions for the habitat.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: California groundbreaking set for largest wildlife crossing over 101 freeway
It will be the largest of its kind globally, serving as a model for urban wildlife conservation.
What's next
Following soil placement, crews will plant native vegetation, including coastal sage scrub species, to support wildlife and reduce fire risk.
The project includes a full irrigation system to maintain the habitat, overseen by Rock Design Associates and supported by various conservation organizations.
You can learn more about the project by tapping or clicking here.
The Source
Information for this story is from the Annenberg Foundation website and previous FOX 11 reporting.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Drive
5 days ago
- The Drive
World's Largest Wildlife Bridge Spanning 10 Lanes of 101 Freeway Is Nearly Complete
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Three years after construction began, it's time to dump dirt on the project. Specifically, 6,000 cubic yards of a 'super' soil followed by the planting of 5,000 native flora. I'm talking about the world's largest wildlife crossing, which has reached another construction milestone as the bridge nears completion. This prepared soil is the beginning of the end of construction for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which broke ground on Earth Day in 2022. Located in Agoura Hills, California, the nearly one-acre overpass stretches over a 10-lane section of U.S. 101. The physical bridge structure is essentially complete, having required 26 million pounds of concrete, Beth Pratt of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) told KCAL . The NWF Regional Executive Director added, 'We just put the soil on top, and then we start burying utility lines and extend it over the access road.' Multiple layers of soil will be needed to create a wildlife habitat on the overpass, and the soil application alone will take several weeks. However, when the Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is done, the bridge will reconnect the bisected areas of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. With more than 150,000 acres, SMMNRA is the country's largest urban national park. But the freeways have long isolated the local fauna, from butterflies and cottontails to bobcats and mountain lions. According to the project, as far back as the 1980s, researchers identified the Liberty Canyon area as a choke point for wildlife. However, it wasn't until the National Park Service began a decades-long study of the region's mountain lion population that the 101 freeway was deemed 'the most significant barrier to the ecological health of the region.' More than 300,000 vehicles travel along U.S. 101 daily. That's enough traffic to give a driver anxiety—try being a local critter having to dart across the road just to find dinner. P-22, arguably the most famous mountain lion in and outside of Hollywood, surprised everyone by crossing freeways on his own. He eventually became the poster cat for the 'Save L.A. cougars' campaign. Unfortunately, he was euthanized in late 2022 after being found with severe injuries, likely due to a vehicle collision, and a myriad of other health issues. Mountain lions are the main conservation focus of this wildlife bridge. The big cats are territorial, and being locked in by freeways limits their roaming range and biodiversity. Without the crossing to expand their habitat, SoCal cougars could be extinct within 50 years. They also continue to be killed by vehicles. 'In the Liberty Canyon area where we're putting the crossing, within the last four years, we've had four mountain lions killed just in that general area,' Pratt said. Not just providing access to more sources of food, shelter, and mates, but the bridge would also offer an escape route from wildfires and other disasters. The Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is expected to reach completion next year.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Trump 'sanctuary jurisdictions' list; Wisconsin communities named
The Brief The Trump administration released a new list of what it calls "sanctuary jurisdictions." Two Wisconsin cities and two Wisconsin counties were named. The administration claims the communities are not complying with federal immigration enforcement efforts. MILWAUKEE - The Trump administration has released a new list of what it calls "sanctuary jurisdictions," which it claims are not complying with federal immigration enforcement efforts. Here's which Wisconsin communities were named. Local perspective More than 500 communities across the U.S. were put on the "sanctuary jurisdictions" list that was released this week. In Wisconsin, those jurisdictions include the cities of Milwaukee and Madison as well as Dane and Shawano counties. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Dig deeper Among the most confusing aspects of the list: several jurisdictions with no known sanctuary policies were included. Shawano County, for instance, believes it may have been added by mistake. County administrator Jim Davel said the only policy vote in recent years was to become a "Second Amendment Sanctuary County" opposing gun control laws – unrelated to immigration. Other unexpected names include Alexandria, Virginia, and Huntington Beach, California – both communities with histories of cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. What they're saying According to the Department of Homeland Security, the list was created using several factors, including whether a jurisdiction self-identifies as a sanctuary, limits information-sharing with ICE, or offers legal protections to undocumented immigrants. DHS said the list will be updated regularly. There's no legal definition for the term. Generally, it refers to a city, county, or state that limits local cooperation with federal immigration authorities, particularly ICE. The concept has historical roots in the "sanctuary movement" of the 1980s, when religious institutions sheltered Central American refugees fleeing civil wars. Today, many cities adopt these policies to promote public safety, arguing that undocumented residents are more likely to report crimes if they don't fear deportation. Dig deeper César García Hernández, a law professor at Ohio State University, said the practice has evolved but continues to reflect a divide between local and federal priorities. "There was no legal guarantee of immunity," he said, "but there was policy." But critics say the methodology is unclear. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports stricter immigration enforcement, said the lack of documentation undermines the list's credibility. "That's one thing that I feel is missing from the list – some documentation as to why they're appearing on the list," she said. Nithya Nathan-Pineau, an attorney with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, called the list arbitrary: "It seems quite arbitrary because not all of these states or specific jurisdictions have a policy that limits cooperation with ICE." The Source Information in this story is from the Associated Press and LiveNOW from FOX, including insights from the Center for Immigration Studies, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center and Ohio State University.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Yahoo
Letters go up on world's largest wildlife crossing over 101 Freeway
Annenberg Wildlife Crossing: Twenty-five letters that reflect years of work and decades of advocacy. On Tuesday, Caltrans announced that the letters for the world's largest wildlife crossing, which is under construction over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills, have officially been placed on the side of the bridge. The massive wildlife crossing will connect two natural landscapes that have been bisected by one of the nation's busiest highways, stretching over 200 feet long and 165 feet wide across the roadway. It's one of the biggest infrastructure construction projects currently underway in Southern California, and crews have been working around the clock to keep the project on track for its planned opening next year. Funded through a public-private sponsorship, the Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is named for Wallis Annenberg, philanthropist and heiress who chairs the multibillion-dollar Annenberg Foundation, a primary sponsor of the project. Wildlife crossings in SoCal aim to prevent animal deaths Other wildlife activist groups have pooled funds to assist in the realization of the project, including those inspired by the story of P-22, the world-famous mountain lion that once inhabited the hills of Griffith Park, and whose story brought attention to the plight of animals who find themselves trapped on all sides by urban sprawl. The massive undertaking is part of California's plan to identify locations where animals face barriers that keep them from moving freely, and prioritize building or converting existing infrastructure to allow them to cross more safely. The legislation was signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom in September 2022. 'This wildlife crossing is just one example of how California is building infrastructure that connects rather than divides,' Newsom said last May. 'With projects like this, we're reconnecting and restoring habitats so future generations can continue to enjoy California's unmatched natural beauty.' A groundbreaking was held in spring 2022, but officials say more than 30 years of conservation work have gone into the preparations to connect the critical protected lands in the Santa Monica Mountains and the Sierra Madre Range. The crossing, originally estimated to cost around $90 million, is located near Liberty Canyon and is expected to open for foot and paw traffic by early 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
