Highway 101 wildlife bridge set for December opening

After more than four years of construction, the roughly $114 million wildlife crossing above Highway 101 is nearing completion in Agoura Hills. The span itself is finished. Crews are now tying the structure into adjacent terrain north and south of the freeway, using three million cubic feet of soil to rebuild a continuous landscape.

Research on mountain lions by National Park Service biologists drove the project. Their work found that Highway 101 prevents the cats from moving safely between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Simi Hills, contributing to inbreeding and putting the species’ genetic health at risk. The new route will give mountain lions and other animals protected access between open spaces, allowing populations to mix through breeding. Wildlife biologist Jeff Sikich expects younger mountain lions seeking territory to use it, though a coyote or deer may arrive first because those animals are more numerous.

For Simi Valley residents, the project reconnects habitat in the nearby Simi Hills while changing a freeway segment traveled by more than 300,000 motorists each day. Soil and vegetation will cover the crossing so animals encounter something resembling the surrounding land rather than an exposed bridge. Heavy El Niño rain is the remaining concern, but such rainfall generally arrives in late winter or spring. A dedication is scheduled for December 2, with the team hoping rain holds off through December 3.