The structure will be planted with native coastal sage scrub species and will connect to 12 acres of restored open space and roughly 50,000 native plants as part of a larger environmental restoration effort.
California is nearing completion of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, a 200-foot-wide vegetated overpass above U.S. 101 in the Santa Monica Mountains, with the project expected to finish in fall 2026.
The California Transportation Commission recently approved $18.8 million from the Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program to provide the final funding needed for construction. The allocation is part of a broader package that also included nearly $1 billion for transit expansion, highway safety improvements and climate-related projects.
The crossing, a public-private partnership involving multiple agencies and organizations, aims to reconnect fragmented habitats in the Santa Monica Mountains and Sierra Madre Range. It will allow wildlife — including mountain lions, deer, coyotes and other species — to safely cross the busy freeway, reducing vehicle-animal collisions and supporting long-term population viability.
The structure will be planted with native coastal sage scrub species and will connect to 12 acres of restored open space and roughly 50,000 native plants as part of a larger environmental restoration effort.
Ground was broken on Earth Day 2022, with Gov. Gavin Newsom and the late Wallis Annenberg, a major philanthropist who helped champion the project, attending the ceremony.
