WORLD LARGEST ANIMAL CROSS OVER NOW ALLOW ALL ANIMALS CAN SAFELY CROSS CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY

The wide, clogged freeways in Los Angeles are well-known for being packed with vehicles that are stuck together in heavy traffic. Though they annoy commuters, these fabled multi-lane thoroughfares packed with automobiles are lethal to nearby fauna, which may become roadkill. The Santa Monica Mountains and the Simi Hills in the Santa Susana range are separated from one another by Highway 101, which passes through Los Angeles County.

This has caused additional issues for mountain lions in particular, as the Santa Monica Mountains' population is experiencing risky inbreeding that is detrimental to the species. Bridges for wildlife are a solution. An essential stage of the construction was finished in late May 2024 when the last horizontal girders were added to a wildlife bridge over Highway 101.

In 2022, the project got underway as a joint venture between government and private entities. The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will be its official name, and work is expected to be finished in late 2025 or early 2026. However, laying the girders and building the bridge's foundation is an essential first step. 

April 15 2024, marked the laying of the first girder. Every night, workers laboured diligently, blocking off sections of the road to install more than 80 concrete blocks, each weighing between 126 and 140 tons. The girders, which currently span eight lanes of traffic, will support ongoing efforts to pour a concrete floor and eventually cover the bridge with native vegetation.

Fences guiding the migration of wildlife will funnel them over the bridge. There will be more freedom for cougars, snakes, coyotes, deer, and even insects to roam into areas that were previously inaccessible. It is hoped that this will stop injuries similar to those found on P-22, the well-known mountain lion in Griffith Park. Examination of his organs and bones upon his tragic death revealed that he had probably been struck by a car previously. The mountain lions will be able to roam freely thanks to the bridge, which will help them find new genetics to mate with and grow as a species.