The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is set to become the world’s largest wildlife bridge over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills. The project has been in the works for decades, aiming to give animals like mountain lions and bears a safe way across one of SoCal’s busiest highways.
Construction, which broke ground in 2022, has been running behind schedule, with completion now expected in November 2026, as reported by KTLA. The reasons? Severe weather conditions, as record rainfall in 2023 and 2024 saturated the ground and forced crews to redo critical work on the bridge’s foundations.
On top of that, the project’s complexity has added more hurdles. Relocating utility, water, and telecommunications lines across multiple agencies has been a slow, labor-intensive process, contributing to the delays. Costs have also climbed and supply chain issues that have made materials more expensive, pushing the budget beyond initial estimates.
Landscaping and habitat restoration are underway, with native soil and plants being added to make the bridge feel natural for animals. The final phase, which extends the structure over Old Agoura Road, is expected to be the trickiest part of the project.
Once complete, the crossing will reconnect fragmented habitats and give wildlife a safer path across the freeway, helping reduce collisions and support healthier populations of mountain lions, bears, and other native species in the region.