Wildlife crossing over 101 looks nowhere near finished as opening looms

The massive wildlife crossing over Los Angeles’ 101 Freeway is just 10 weeks from opening but still looks like a construction site with a lot of work still to be completed.

New photos, obtained by the California Post, show ongoing construction around the $92 million Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills, where crews are still working on the final stage of the sprawling project.

However, the California Natural Resources Agency is still confident it will open on time.

“December 2nd remains the date when the Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will be ready for wildlife to cross. The plans include a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site and a public celebration at King Gillette Ranch, that everyone is invited to attend!,” the organization told The Post.

A section of Agoura Road beneath the project is scheduled to remain closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays through Nov. 30 as crews perform bridge work and backfill operations, according to MyNewsLA.

That leaves just two days between the scheduled end of the closures and the crossing’s highly anticipated opening.

The crossing’s official website says “some planting and finishing work will continue after opening.”

Caltrans says the project is being built in two stages. The first, encompassing the vegetated bridge over the 101, was completed in June 2025.

The second includes the wildlife crossing over Agoura Road, utility relocations, earthwork and restoration of habitat surrounding the freeway and road.

The crossing had originally been slated for completion in 2025, but organizers said record rainfall and flooding during two consecutive springs substantially disrupted the construction schedule.

Once open, the vegetation-covered bridge will reconnect habitat divided by the 101, providing a route for mountain lions and other wildlife between areas of the Santa Monica Mountains.

The 101 has long acted as a major barrier for animals in the region, leaving wildlife populations isolated on either side of the heavily traveled freeway, according to Caltrans.

The crossing will eventually be covered with native vegetation designed to blend into the surrounding landscape and allow animals to move between habitats without venturing onto the freeway.

Ribbon-cutting is scheduled for Dec. 2, with a public P-22 Legacy Celebration taking place at King Gillette Ranch the same day.

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