New video shows world’s largest wildlife crossing starting to take form

An artist’s rendering shows the wildlife crossing spanning the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills. After years of planning and much anticipation, the world’s largest wildlife crossing is starting to take form over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills. New aerial images posted by state transportation officials show the first stages of construction for sound walls and concrete barriers on both sides of the bridge deck, which spans eight lanes of traffic along the Santa Monica Mountains. Scientists and conservationists say this wildlife passage will also be crucial to restoring gene flow among small, isolated populations of cougars trapped south of the freeway in the Santa Monica Mountains, and cougars confined to the north in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains. Construction activities are ongoing, and Caltrans officials noted that daytime ramp closures might occur intermittently Mondays through Fridays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the southbound 101 Liberty Canyon Road offramp and the northbound 101 Liberty Canyon onramp.