PLACE STORY · AGOURA HILLS
Where the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing actually stands
They built a bridge over the 101. It is not for you. 🦌
Liberty Canyon, Agoura Hills — the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing.
The Dimensions
About 210 feet long. About 174 feet wide. Caltrans puts that at roughly five to six lanes in each direction, if it were designed to carry traffic. It carries soil and native plants instead.
Who It Is For
The 101 separates the Santa Monica Mountains from the Simi Hills and Santa Susanas. Caltrans describes it as a virtually impenetrable barrier for mountain lions, bobcats, gray foxes, coyotes and mule deer. For cougars specifically, the isolation has meant inbreeding, territorial fighting and very low genetic diversity.
Where It Stands Right Now
- Stage 1 — the vegetated bridge over the 101 itself. Started mid-2022, completed June 2025.
- Stage 2 — the crossing over Agoura Road, plus utility relocation, earthwork and habitat restoration. Underway, with completion listed for 2026.
Worth noting: the state was publicly targeting an early-2026 opening a couple of years ago. It's tracking later than that.
If You Drive Agoura Road
Caltrans posted a full closure on Agoura Road for crossing construction running through September 1. Freeway lanes stay open during the day; some night lane closures with detours.
The Money
About $92 million, and largely not public. The Annenberg Foundation and private donors, the California Wildlife Conservation Board, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the State Coastal Conservancy, the State of California, and the Save L.A. Cougars campaign. Caltrans calls it the largest wildlife crossing of its type in the nation.
Sources
- Caltrans District 7 project page, US-101 Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing at Liberty Canyon,
Accessed and verified 2026-08-23.
