Annenberg Wildlife Crossing Open House Scheduled For March 24

AGOURA HILLS, CA — Agoura Hills residents are invited to join a virtual open house to learn more about the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing.

The forum, on Thursday, March 24 from 7-8 p.m., will provide residents a forum to hear updates and ask questions about the 210-foot crossing over the 101 Freeway at Liberty Canyon. It can be accessed on Zoom here.

The Annenberg Crossing, named after a $25 million challenge grant from the Annenberg Foundation, will span all ten lanes of the freeway in an attempt to double the size of wildlife habitat, namely mountain lions. Over 300,000 cars pass daily through the 101 at the future site of the crossing. The freeway has proved an almost impenetrable barrier to the region's big cats, who number in the dozens. In September 2020, a mountain lion was killed attempting to cross near Calabasas.

The crossing will help mountain lions, bobcats, gray foxes, coyotes, mule deer, and more cross the freeway and essentially double the space of their habitat. Its design will also provide shelter and food, and reduce the impacts of the lights and noise the freeway brings.

The project is expected to break ground some time in the spring, and be completed by 2023.

The crossing will be covered in nearly an acre of native vegetation, including native oak and willow trees, shrubs and mushrooms to provide wildlife with food, shelter, and water, according to plans released in October.

The project received $10 million in the state budget in January 2022, and a $25 million challenge grant in May 2021 from the Annenberg Foundation.

Related:

• Wildlife Crossing in Liberty Canyon Named for Annenberg
• 101 Wildlife Crossing Gets $25M Challenge Grant From Annenberg
• Groundbreaking of Wildlife Crossing In Liberty Canyon Nears
• California Is Betting $61 Million That New Highway Crossings Will Keep Wildlife Safe