The National Wildlife Federation’s #SaveLACougars campaign and project partners are celebrating the second and final stage of construction on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. Crews are preparing to build a secondary structure over Agoura Road that will add to the crossing’s current span across ten lanes of the U.S. Highway 101 freeway in the City of Agoura Hills.

This year, the project achieved a big milestone in the completion of the structure over the 101 — the result of more than 26 million pounds of concrete poured, the completion of vegetated sound walls, the placement of the planting soils, the installation of natural stone habitat elements, and the unveiling of the crossing’s name, now visible every day to the over 300,000 drivers that use the 101 freeway.

Although the structure over the 101 freeway is larger than the one being built over Agoura Road, this final phase of construction is much more complex. The Agoura Road structure spans a smaller two-lane local road, but is as wide as the structure over the 101 freeway—and requires a more extensive foundation. To connect the habitat areas north and south of the freeway and enable animal crossings, a large amount of earthwork is necessary. The landscape connects to the freeway and must reconstruct critical hydrology and restore habitat while protecting the existing creek watersheds and several large, heritage oak trees. In addition, a series of important utility lines parallel to the freeway must be relocated — a monumental, multi-agency effort.

“Today, the state is beginning the final phase of construction for what will soon be the largest urban wildlife crossing in the world – all thanks to the visionary work of state, federal, and private partners,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. “The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will soon protect Los Angeles’ native wildlife and over 300,000 drivers daily, as well as provide a cutting-edge model for urban wildlife conservation.”