What’s an extra $10 million among friends?
That was Gov. Gavin Newsom reaction at the opening of construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills in April 2022, gold shovel in hand, waving away concerns about the cost.
“$54 million the state has put up for this program… we’ll complete the job with another $10 million,” Newsom said, laughing.
“We’re not going to ask for any more money… we’re good.”
That moment from the Earth Day groundbreaking is back in the spotlight after another cost blow out for the project .
Chef Andrew Gruel made the comment: “I used to think this stuff was kinda funny, somewhat silly. But it’s not a one-off. It’s every single project.”
The new estimate for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills that has blown past $100 million, with current estimates landing around $114 million and rising.
What was once pitched as roughly a $90 million project is now tens of millions over budget, with taxpayers already on the hook for about $77 million.
The timeline has slipped, too. What was expected to wrap by 2025 is now pushed to at least late 2026.
Govern Gavin Newsom stood in Agoura Hills in April 2022 and waved off concerns of the costs of the Wildlife Crossing. APThe bridge is designed to reconnect wildlife habitats split apart by decades of development, giving mountain lions, deer and other animals a safe crossing over one of the busiest highways in the country.
It’s also being billed as the largest wildlife crossing of its kind in the world.
Supporters call it visionary, a once-in-a-generation fix for a broken ecosystem. The project gained momentum after the death of P-22, the famed mountain lion that became a symbol of isolation in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Backers, including philanthropist Wallis Annenberg, helped drive private donations and public attention. The crossing now carries her name.
Aerial view of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing construction over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills. CalTrans District 7It was originally framed as a public-private partnership, but the balance has now shifted, with public dollars making up the bulk of the funding.
And compared to similar projects across the country, and the world, the price tag stands out.
The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over U.S. Highway 101 in Agoura Hills. APWildlife crossings in places like Banff National Park in Canada, often considered the gold standard, were built as part of a broader system, dozens of crossings, not just one, at significantly lower costs, even when adjusted for inflation.
Projects in Colorado and Texas have come in far cheaper and were completed far faster.
