Newsom Puts $10M Toward Agoura Hills Wildlife Crossing

AGOURA HILLS, CA — The long-awaited wildlife bridge over the State Route 101 (Ventura Freeway) in Agoura Hills just took a major step forward.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his 2022-2023 budget on Monday, and it includes a whopping $10 million for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, according to the State of California's website.

This puts the project in motion to begin construction in January 2022. The project received a $25 million grant from The Annenberg Foundation in September, quickly bringing it within reach of its goal.

See Also: Inbreeding Causes Anxiety About Mountain Lion Extinction

The bridge will ultimately be 210 feet and span across all 10 lanes of the Ventura Freeway at Liberty Canyon in Agoura Hills. It is meant to promote biodiversity among Southern California mountain lions, which researchers predict could become extinct within 50 years.

Genetically different Southern California mountain lion populations are often separated from one another by freeways. The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will connect the isolated mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains with populations up north.

Read More:

• 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