An overwhelming show of support was given to a proposed wildlife crossing bridge to be built over the Ventura (101) Freeway as more than 250 people gathered at a Caltrans presentation last Thursday night at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas.
Area residents and advocates from as far away as Santa Monica and Newbury Park packed an auditorium to see Caltrans’ latest designs for the wildlife corridor and to voice their opinions.
The much-hyped project would link wildlife habitats that were severed by the Ventura Freeway years ago. Caltrans, the National Park Service, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, city agencies and a host of other stakeholders have proposed construction of a 165-foot-wide by 200-foot-long bridge overcrossing immediately west of Liberty Canyon Road over the busy roadway. One proposal includes the overcrossing to extend over adjacent Agoura Road as well.
The project is currently estimated to run about $30 million, plus more for finishing touches, and the majority of that funding is set to come from private donations. However, reports have placed estimates closer to the $60 million mark once all is said and done, including the possible extension.
The area of the proposed crossing, surrounded by rare, undeveloped property north and south of the eight-lane freeway, has been identified by wildlife biologists as the best site to link and broaden the habitats of mountain lions, bobcats, mule deer and other species.
Wildlife experts claim that without connectivity, fragmentation caused by the freeway and development is affecting population dispersal, genetic exchange and behaviors of various species. This includes inbreeding that leads to genetic degradation and intra-specific killing threatening the already dwindling wildlife population.
Since 2002, the population in Santa Monica Mountains has seen more than a dozen mountain lions struck and killed on nearby freeways. It is estimated that fewer than 20 of the big cats are currently living in the LA area, but scores of other animal species would make use of the over cross as well.
Saving wildlife will come at a hefty cost. Beth Pratt of the National Wildlife Foundation told the crowd 80 percent of the funds would come from private donations and 20 percent from public monies. Pratt claimed $3.5 million has been raised so far and said she has a $10 million goal by this June.
Caltrans Project Manager Sheik Moinuddin told The Malibu Times he estimates the wildlife crossing to come in at $30 million, but added that does not include landscaping. Native vegetation will be planted to enhance the habitat, along with a sound wall to encourage its usage by animals.
Longtime supporter of the wildlife corridor, former state legislator Fran Pavley—who lives in Liberty Canyon—seemed to indicate she would not support the area to be used as a park for humans.
“This plan does not include any plans or approvals for parking lots, restrooms or street lights as part of the wildlife crossing; it never has and it’s never been discussed,” Pavley clarified at the hearing.
The former senator said she supports the more extensive—and expensive—version of a vegetative bridge to be built over the freeway as well as Agoura Road and said the proposal has been kicking around since her early time as a local elected official in the 1990s.
Pepperdine biology major and college senior Andrew Shute said he may have recently seen a mountain lion in the dark on campus.
“From what I’ve learned, there’s quite a bit of franctionization (sic) of the habitat for a lot of these animals around here,” Shute said. “I know that fragmentation of the population leads to instability and can ultimately result in the loss of genetic diversity and population decline.”
Others spoke to point out the unique aspect of the mountain lions living right in Malibu’s backyard.
“The fact that we have mountain lions still in an urban area is really special,” said Jennifer Conrad, a veterinarian from Santa Monica. “We need to protect it. Remember that mountain lions can control the coyote population and without that, we are going to have an explosion of coyotes.”
According to mountainlion.org, mountain lions will eat the equivalent of about one deer per week. Their diet mainly consists of deer, coyotes, raccoons, rodents and other smaller animals.
Some were concerned the wildlife crossing may encourage mountain lions into nearby residential neighborhoods, but Agoura resident Larry Brown pointed out what goes up must come down.
“It lets mountain lions in and also out,” Brown said.
Another resident urged officials to ban rat poison that can kill wildlife before a corridor is built and to exclude people from it.
“This is a rare opportunity,” Conrad said. “We have a chance to fix something that we created and we can do it in our lifetime, but let’s do it soon because there will be a day when it’s too late.”
Thirty people spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, and Caltrans said it is taking public comment on the project until the end of the month on Oct. 26. Comments can be mailed to California Department of Transportation—Ron Kosinski, Deputy District Director—Division of Environmental Planning (Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing Project) 100 South Main Street, MS16A, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
