Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills in April 2022, Mr. Newsom said: “The state has spent $54 million on this program… we’re going to get it done with another $10 million,” before laughing and asserting that no further budget would be required.
Currently, the project’s cost has ballooned to approximately $114 million and continues to rise. This figure is significantly higher than the initial estimate of around $90 million. Public funding accounts for about $77 million of that total.
In addition to the sharp rise in costs, the schedule has also been extended. The completion plan originally set for 2025 has been pushed back to at least late 2026. The project is designed to reconnect habitats fragmented by Highway 101—one of the busiest traffic corridors in the United States. Once completed, the bridge will help species such as mountain lions, deer, and various other animals move safely through the area.
The project is also being promoted as the world’s largest wildlife crossing. Many supporters view it as a landmark solution for ecological restoration, particularly following the death of P-22—the mountain lion that became a symbol of isolation in the Santa Monica Mountains.
However, criticism is mounting as costs escalate and public funding takes up an increasingly larger share, deviating from the original public-private partnership model. This is not the first time the state administration has faced public pressure over spending, similar to when Gavin Newsom was criticized for a $239 million project to renovate San Quentin Prison.
Compared to similar projects in Canada, Colorado, or Texas, the cost of this structure is rated significantly higher while the construction timeline is longer—an issue that California Governor Gavin Newsom and his associates are facing amid conflicting public opinions.
