The wildlife crossing isn't set to open for another two years.
AGOURA HILLS, Cali. (KTLA) — A mountain lion was found dead on a California freeway, less than a mile from a wildlife crossing that is currently under construction.
Preliminary information indicates that early Saturday morning, the deceased mountain lion was blocking lanes on the southbound side of the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills, about 35 miles west of Los Angeles.
California Highway Patrol officers moved the mountain lion to the right shoulder of the freeway so traffic could pass through. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife will investigate the death of the mountain lion, which was not wearing a tracking collar.
The predatory feline died just half a mile from the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing construction site, which is set to open in 2026, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said last month.
The wildlife crossing is on track to be the largest in the world once complete, stretching over 200 feet long and 165 feet wide across the roadway. It's about halfway complete.
“This wildlife crossing is just one example of how California is building infrastructure that connects rather than divides,” Newsom said in a May news release. “With projects like this, we’re reconnecting and restoring habitats so future generations can continue to enjoy California’s unmatched natural beauty.”
One Colorado community recently obtained $725,000 to further the design process for a wildlife crossing on I-70. Neighboring Utah has dozens of dedicated wildlife crossings, most of which funnel wildlife beneath roadways using tunnels or other structures.
