Construction on what will be the world’s largest wildlife crossing hit a milestone in California, amid questions over its cost and risks.

Tommaso Boddi, Getty Images for #SaveLACougars Campaign and the National Wildlife Federation

Jack Aylmer Energy Correspondent

Energy

World’s largest wildlife crossing in CA hits milestone amid safety, cost concerns

Apr 3

Listen

Jack Aylmer Energy Correspondent

By Jack Aylmer (Energy Correspondent), Emma Stoltzfus (Video Editor)

Construction on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills has reached a milestone with the placement of its first layers of soil. This $92 million project, which began in 2022, aims to create a nearly one-acre habitat for native species.
Conservationists say the crossing will reconnect fragmented habitats, support declining animal populations, and reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.
Some residents expressed concerns about its cost and potential safety risks. They fear increased human-wildlife interactions, particularly with mountain lions around nearby local schools.

Full Story

Construction on what could be the world’s largest wildlife crossing has reached a new milestone in California. However, some residents have criticized the project, questioning its necessity and potential risks.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

What milestone did this project reach?

Crews have begun placing the first layers of soil on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills. This initiative, which began on Earth Day 2022, is expected to be completed by early 2026. It will create a nearly one-acre habitat stretching across ten lanes of traffic.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

What is the purpose of this wildlife crossing?

The $92 million project, funded through a mix of state and private donations aims to support a range of native species, including mountain lions, deer, bobcats, birds and monarch butterflies.

Conservationists advocate for the crossing, emphasizing its role in addressing habitat fragmentation caused by human development. They argue that the project will help revitalize declining animal populations and prevent wildlife from being killed on highways.

What concerns have been raised by locals?

However, some residents have voiced concerns about the project’s necessity and cost. Critics argue that the funds could have been allocated to public safety improvements, such as reducing traffic accidents or addressing homelessness.

Others worry about the potential for increased human-wildlife interactions, particularly given the crossing’s proximity to three local schools. Some residents fear a possible rise in mountain lion encounters as a result.

What happens next?

Looking ahead, the next phase of the project is set to begin in May, when approximately 5,000 native plants will be introduced. Later stages will involve connecting the bridge to adjacent hillsides and constructing a tunnel under Agoura Road to further integrate this natural corridor into the surrounding landscape.

Tags: California, Conservation, Wildlife

CONSTRUCTION ON WHAT WILL BE THE WORLD’S LARGEST WILDLIFE CROSSING HAS HIT A NEW MILESTONE IN CALIFORNIA-
IT COMES AS THE PROJECT FACES CRITICISM FROM SOME WHO SAY THE YEARS-LONG EFFORT MAY NOT BE NECESSARY AND COULD EVEN POSE POTENTIAL RISKS.

THIS WEEK, CREWS PLACED THE FIRST LAYERS OF SOIL ON THE WALLIS ANNENBERG WILDLIFE CROSSING OVER THE 101 FREEWAY IN AGOURA HILLS.

THE PROJECT’S DEVELOPMENT BEGAN ON EARTH DAY 2022, AND IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY 2026-

AT WHICH POINT IT WILL BE A NEARLY ONE-ACRE HABITAT STRETCHING ACROSS 10 LANES OF TRAFFIC.

FUNDED THROUGH A MIX OF STATE AND PRIVATE DONATIONS- THIS 92 MILLION DOLLAR INITIATIVE PROMISES TO SUPPORT A NUMBER OF NATIVE SPECIES-

INCLUDING MOUNTAIN LIONS, DEER, BOBCATS, BIRDS, AND MONARCH BUTTERFLIES.

CONSERVATIONISTS SAY THE CROSSING WILL HELP COMBAT HUMAN-CAUSED HABITAT FRAGMENTATION, REVITALIZE DECLINING ANIMAL POPULATIONS, AND PREVENT WILDLIFE FROM BEING KILLED ON HIGHWAYS.

HOWEVER, SOME RESIDENTS OF THE AREA ARGUE THIS PROJECT IS TOO EXPENSIVE-

AND HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT A POSSIBLE INCREASE IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS INTERACTIONS BETWEEN HUMANS AND SOME ANIMALS.

LOCALS HAVE CALLED THE CROSSING A HUGE WASTE OF MONEY-

SAYING FUNDS WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER SPENT ON PUBLIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, SUCH AS REDUCING TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS OR ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.

OTHERS ARE ALARMED IT COULD CAUSE A SPIKE IN MOUNTAIN LION ATTACKS-

ESSPECIALLY WITH THE BRIDGE’S PROXIMITY TO THREE SCHOOLS IN THE AREA.

LOOKING AHEAD, WITH SOIL PLACEMENT NOW UNDERWAY AT THE WALLIS ANNENBERG WILDLIFE CROSSING-

THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT WILL BEGIN IN MAY, WHEN APPROXIMATELY 5,000 NATIVE PLANTS WILL BE INTRODUCED.

LATER STAGES WILL INVOLVE CONNECTING THE BRIDGE TO ADJACENT HILLSIDES AND BUILDING A TUNNEL UNDER AGOURA ROAD TO FURTHER INTEGRATE THIS NATURAL CORRIDOR INTO THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M JACK AYLMER.

Bias Summary

On Monday, March 31, 2025, construction crews began placing the first layers of soil on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, located over the Ventura Freeway in Agoura Hills between 7-10 a.m.
This milestone event follows years of meticulous work and close collaboration among soil scientists, biologists, engineers, and mycologists to select the best soil and beneficial fungi for the bridge, which broke ground on Earth Day 2022.
The soil placement will create a nearly 1-acre native wildlife habitat across 10 lanes of the freeway, eventually featuring about 5,000 native plants, including coastal sage scrub, to support various animal species.
Approximately 6,000 cubic yards of soil will be needed to cover the entire crossing, and the wildlife crossing's native plant nursery has hand-picked more than 1.1 million hyper-local native seeds, representing over 50 distinct native plant species from the Santa Monica Mountains.
Scheduled for completion in 2026, the crossing, overseen by Rock Design Associates with aid from experts, will include a full irrigation system and is expected to serve as a global model for urban wildlife conservation, reducing fire risk, better supporting wildlife, and ensuring the survival of many isolated species.

Report an issue with this comparison

Bias Comparison

Media outlets on the left frame the wildlife crossing project as a triumph of environmental stewardship, emphasizing its “world’s largest” scale and dedicating coverage to details such as soil preparation and fungal integration, while referencing the “ill-fated” P-22 to evoke emotional resonance.

Media outlets on the right , while also positive, focus on the “extraordinary structure” and reconnecting the ecosystem, highlighting the milestone of soil placement and also referencing the “beloved” P-22.

Media outlets in the center adopt a more neutral tone, describing the progress as a “major milestone” without the emotional emphasis found in left-leaning and right-leaning coverage.

Report an issue with this comparison