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California’s wildlife bridge became a target for the right. Now it’s eyeing the finish line
Unhindered by critics who called the $114m project ‘a bridge to nowhere’, a gigantic throughway allowing animals to cross a busy freeway is close to completion
TL;DR
- The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in California is set to open on December 2nd, providing safe passage for animals over a 10-lane freeway.
- The $114 million project has been criticized by conservative commentators as a "jobs program for environmentalists" and a "multimillion-dollar bridge to nowhere."
- Organizers faced online hate and threats, prompting law enforcement involvement and increased security.
- Project delays were caused by two years of record rains and flooding, and later by significant inflation impacting construction costs.
- Despite the criticism and challenges, early signs indicate the crossing's success, with butterflies, caterpillars, and lizards already inhabiting the area.
- Construction continues on secondary structures to connect the overpass with surrounding landscapes, aiming to create protected habitat for species like mountain lions.