We all know L.A. is a car-first kind of city, full of winding roads and endless highways. While these roads help us get where we’re going, they’re a major disruption to natural habitats, plants, and wildlife. That’s why, in the early 2020s, a solution was created to protect local species: a wildlife crossing.
The crossing is located on the 101, a highway where over 300,000 cars are estimated to pass daily. It will measure 210 feet long and 174 feet wide, making it officially the largest wildlife crossing in the world. Now, besides its enormous size, the news is that the completion date (delayed multiple times) is getting closer thanks to a new milestone. The wildlife crossing now has soil in place.
This is key because, instead of a concrete crossing, the Wallis Annenberg wildlife crossing will replicate the native wildlife habitat of local species. This also means it could save not only large animals but also small reptiles and insects. Additionally, with nearly an acre of local plants on either side and thick, 12-foot-high vegetated sound walls to reduce light and noise for nocturnal animals as they cross.
With the soil now in place, experts say this milestone brings the official completion date closer. While they can’t give an exact day, they estimate the crossing will be ready by the end of 2026. The Wallis Annenberg wildlife crossing will connect key wildlife areas like the Santa Monica Mountains, Simi Hills, Santa Susana Mountains, and Los Padres National Forest, allowing species like coyotes, bobcats, and deer to safely pass through.