Parts of the 101 freeway will be shut down in the evenings this month as crews continue work on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills.
NBC reports the highway will be closed between Liberty Canyon Road and Chesebro Road in Agoura from midnight to about 5 a.m. On certain days, some lanes could close as early as 7 p.m. The closures will begin mid-April and last for 30 to 45 days, as crews install a series of concrete beams.
The Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is supposed to provide safe passage for animals like deer and coyotes between the Santa Monica Mountains and the hills of Simi Valley. The goal is to reduce wildlife vehicle collisions and restore habitats by allowing different cohorts to mate. Without new avenues to breed with genetically distinct mates, mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains could become extinct within the next 50 years.
Construction on the bridge began in 2022 and is expected to be completed in 2025 or 2026. The $85 million price tag will be covered through a combination of private and public sources.