Southern California drivers are experiencing traffic disruptions as Agoura Road in Calabasas remains closed for construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. The road, situated between Rondell Street and Hydepark Drive, will be inaccessible on Fridays and Wednesdays between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. to accommodate work on the $114 million project.
Commuters are advised to allow for extra travel time and to utilize US 101 between Chesebro Road and Liberty Canyon Road, following posted detour signs. To mitigate the impact on travelers, Caltrans District 7 is providing a free shuttle service during the scheduled closures, with shuttles running every 30 minutes.
This closure follows a recent disruption to the northbound 101 on-ramp at Liberty Canyon, which is also part of the ongoing construction. The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is designed to reconnect fractured ecosystems and provide a safe passage for wildlife that has been isolated by roadways.
The project, initially estimated to cost $92 million and be completed by 2025, is now slated for an official opening on December 2. The initiative was spurred by the #SaveLACougars campaign, launched in 2014 by the National Wildlife Federation, inspired by the story of P-22, a mountain lion famous for crossing the 405 and 101 freeways to reach Griffith Park in 2012. P-22 died in 2024. His journey and subsequent death highlighted the need for wildlife corridors and contributed to private donations for the bridge's construction.
The wildlife crossing spans 210 feet in length and 174 feet in width, constructed from 26 million pounds of concrete. It is designed to support up to 4 feet of soil and thousands of native plants, aiming to restore ecological linkages in the Santa Monica Mountains. Rorie Skei, Chief Deputy Director with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, expressed enthusiasm for entering this final critical phase of construction, emphasizing the project's role in preserving habitat linkages.