In the foothills northwest of Los Angeles, work is nearing completion on what will soon be the world’s largest wildlife crossing, a $114 million project to restore biodiversity in the region, particularly among the threatened mountain lion population.
Roughly 150 miles to the east, in the Mojave Desert near Joshua Tree National Park, planning is underway for not just one but two similar, though smaller, crossings. And north of that, state transportation officials have proposed three more structures spanning Interstate 15.
What’s becoming clear is that conservationists and policy leaders are aligning around a proven strategy that protects animals and drivers alike, while addressing the damage a century of expanding highway travel has inflicted on native wildlife.
The State Route 62 plan
“This is a long process.”…