A New Wildlife Crossing in Southern California Will Cross 10 Lanes of Highway

As rural areas become increasingly more urban, local wildlife that once roamed freely find themselves fenced in by housing, commercial developments and freeways. Some of our major roadways inhibit the natural migration of many of these animals. A suburb of Los Angeles hopes to ease that passage.

“Hoping to fend off the extinction of mountain lions and other species that require room to roam, transportation officials and conservationists will build a mostly privately funded wildlife crossing over a major Southern California highway.” says AP. “It will give big cats, coyotes, deer, lizards, snakes and other creatures a safe route to open space and better access to food and potential mates.

“The span along U.S. 101 will only be the second animal overpass in a state where tunnels are more common. Officials say it will be the first of its kind near a major metropolis and the largest in the world, stretching 200 feet (61 meters) above 10 lanes of busy highway and a feeder road just 35 miles (56 kilometers) northwest of downtown LA.”

The $87 million bridge is expected to break ground in the next couple years. 80% of the cost is being funded by private sources.

Read more about the project here.