Caltrans seeks large grant for wildlife

2014-08-21

Animals can’t cross 101 corridor

By Sylvie Belmond

ALONE—A remote camera got this shot of P-28, one of about 30 cougars studied by ecologists. Progress is being made on the development of a long-awaited wildlife crossing at Liberty Canyon Road in Agoura Hills but not as quickly as some would like.
The freeway underpass at Liberty Canyon is one of the only places left in the area where cougars and other animals can move in and out of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Earlier this year, officials from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy approved a $200,000 grant to study the possible construction of a crossing. And Caltrans recently applied for a $2-million federal grant that would be used to pay for environmental and engineering studies for the wildlife passage. The grant would be provided by the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program. “This new crossing will better integrate the environment and transportation systems, fostering better wildlife connectivity on either side of the 101 and increasing public safety by reducing the risk of collisions between vehicles and wildlife,” said Carrie Bowen, director of Caltrans District 7 in L.A. County.

The 101 Freeway is a largely impassible barrier for animals migrating in and out of the Santa Monica Mountains. Last October, a mountain lion heading south was killed near the Liberty Canyon interchange. Only one lion is known to have survived the highway crossing over the past decade. “Our freeways have now turned us into the predators,” Old Agoura resident Kathi Colman said.

Recently, two bobcats were struck by cars on Chesebro and Kanan roads, witnesses said.

Wildlife officials say the Liberty Canyon crossing is needed to maintain ecological diversity. If Caltrans receives the grant, the $2 million in federal funding would be a “great and necessary” step forward for the local wildlife corridor project, said Kate Kuykendall, spokesperson for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Both a tunnel and an overpass are being considered. A tunnel would cost at least $10 million, and the overpass would probably be more expensive, Kuykendall said. Aside from the $200,000 conservancy grant provided this spring for preliminary designs of a permanent crossing, the project has received no additional funding to date, and construction is still several years away, Kuykendall said. Moreover, if approved later this year, the $2-million grant would only pay for environmental studies and more detailed engineering plans.

Construction for the permanent crossing will require a combination of public and private funds.
The Santa Monica Mountains Fund, a nonprofit organization serving the local national park, and its partner, the National Wildlife Federation California, are working to raise funds and organize support for the new wildlife crossing.

Some animal supporters on Facebook suggested the use of crowdfunding to accelerate the project. Crowdfunding involves gathering donations from a large number of people via the Internet.

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