With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Wildlife Crossing Closures Coming For 101 Freeway
A rendering of what the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will look like once construction is complete.
(
National Wildlife Federation and Living Habitats
)
All southbound lanes of the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills will be closed for five hours each weeknight for construction on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing starting Monday.
The closure will extend from Liberty Canyon to Chesebro roads, but the northbound lanes will stay open, and Caltrans has detours available for drivers. The entire project could last until early 2026.
What you should know
The southbound lanes will close from 11:00 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday through Friday. On Saturday mornings, the lanes may reopen a little later.
Sponsored message
Drivers can take Agoura Road to get around the closure, getting back on the 101 Freeway near Liberty Canyon Road, according to Caltrans. But if you’re hoping to avoid side streets and potential delays, you can bypass the construction zone by taking the 23, 118, and 405 freeways.
Caltrans will post updates on X, formerly known as Twitter, but you can check the current closures anytime here. The agency is reminding drivers to slow down and keep an eye out for workers — traffic fines are doubled in construction zones.
Once the work on the southbound side is complete, crews will switch to the northbound lanes, which will bring additional overnight closures.
The street detour in Agoura Hills to get around the 101 Freeway southbound closure.
(
Caltrans
)
The freeway detour for both the southbound and future northbound closures on the 101 Freeway.
(
Caltrans
)
What are they working on?
Crews will be installing the first girders, a nearly 100-foot-long box of reinforced concrete that will act as the base level of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. The girders will help support the structure’s horizontal reach across one of the country’s busiest highways, according to the National Wildlife Federation’s #SaveLACougars campaign.
Sponsored message
Beth Pratt, the California regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation, said in a statement this work will make the structure start to look like the bridge it will become.
“We know that closures of the freeway do have impacts on traffic and the community, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause,” Pratt said in a statement. “And these ‘Closures for Cougars’ are for a good cause — helping to save the area mountain lions from extinction and ensuring a future for all wildlife in the Santa Monica Mountains.”
Each girder weighs more than 126 tons, and those being placed over the northbound lanes will be even bigger and heavier. For comparison, just one of those pieces is about the same weight as 14 African elephants, the statement said.
*Wildlife Crossing on US-101*
— Caltrans District 7 (@CaltransDist7) April 14, 2024
All lanes of southbound US-101 will close 11pm-4am Mon-Friday for several weeks starting Monday 4/15. A virtual meeting is open to the public on Mon 4/15 from 4 pm to 5pm at:https://t.co/k14l2ep2hE
Or phone 1-408-418-9388
Access code: 249 882 34807 pic.twitter.com/AQxybMBAkT
Installing all 82 girders across 10 lanes of the 101 Freeway is expected to take more than a month to complete. The wildlife crossing itself is scheduled to wrap up construction by the end of next year or early 2026.
You can also take a live look at the progress here, and learn more about the project here. Caltrans and the National Wildlife Federation will also be hosting a virtual community meeting at 4 p.m. Monday.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
