First layers of soil to be laid on Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in L.A. - Los Angeles Times
Small puma populations have been isolated by the freeway, and their offspring were showing signs of birth defects.
“I imagine a future for all the wildlife in our area where it’s possible to survive and thrive and the placement of this first soil on the bridge means another step closer to reality,” Annenberg, a philanthropist, said in a statement.
“This extraordinary structure will serve not only animals,” she said, “but it will reconnect an entire ecosystem and protect this global biodiversity hotspot — this moment marks another wonderful milestone toward that goal.”
Crews work on the wildlife crossing in mid-October in Agoura Hills.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The Annenberg family’s foundation was a major donor to the $92-million effort to make the bridge — which stands 21 feet and 8 inches above the freeway — a reality. Initially conceived more than three decades ago, construction of the 200-foot-long,165-foot-wide bridge began in 2022 and is expected to be completed in 2026.
“There’s been a growing awareness in California as we’re working to protect our nature, our biodiversity, that we can’t just restore and protect habitat; We actually have to build connectivity between habitat,” Wade Crowfoot, secretary for the California Natural Resources Agency, said earlier when the project was announced.
Monday morning, workers will begin placing soil — sandy loam mixed with lightweight volcanic aggregate — on the wildlife overpass. The process is expected to take several weeks and will require 6,000 cubic yards of soil, enough to cover three-quarters of an American football field in about 2.5 feet of soil.
Then, coastal sage, buckwheat, wild grape, wildflowers, milkweed and other native plants will be planted on the roughly one-acre habitat. Oaks and other trees and plants will be planted on 12 acres on both sides of the wildlife crossing.
Seema Mehta is a veteran political writer who covers national and state politics, including the 2026 gubernatorial race. Since starting at Los Angeles Times in 1998, she has covered multiple presidential, state and local races. In 2019, she completed a Knight-Wallace fellowship at the University of Michigan.
