Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing to hold public opening ceremony

The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, a $114 million conservation project spanning the 101 Freeway in Southern California, will hold a public ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 2 at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas.

Presented by the Wildlife Crossing Fund and the National Wildlife Federation’s #SaveLACougars campaign, the event requires paid admission: $10 for individuals aged 13 and older, and $5 for children 12 and under. The ceremony aims to celebrate the completion of the structure, which is designed to reconnect habitats in the Santa Monica Mountains and provide a safe passage for mountain lions and other wildlife.

The massive bridge is 210 feet long and 174 feet wide, constructed using 26 million pounds of concrete and engineered to support native plants and soil. While originally projected to cost $92 million and finish by 2025, the budget increased to $114 million due to inflation, labor shortages, and weather delays. The project's completion is now expected in 2026.