Wildlife in the Santa Monica Mountains has a problem. With freeways surrounding and bisecting the wild spaces, migration to and from the mountains becomes impossible or lethal when the attempt is made. Migration is necessary to maintain genetic diversity, without which populations move toward local extinction. But, a solution is on the horizon: a wildlife bridge over one of these barriers—the 101 Freeway.
The Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, with Executive Officer Clark Stevens as Architect, has completed the Schematic Design and initial Design Development phase of the Wildlife Overpass at Liberty Canyon. Working closely with Caltrans District 7 Biologists, Planners and Engineers, and the Project Partner organizations, our architectural team provided design leadership for the first two phases of the design process: the Caltrans Project Study Report (Concept Design), and the Programmatic Agreement and Environmental Document Report.
Funding for the RCD Architectural Services of those two phases was provided by Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA).
Additional Architectural and Landscape Design Development services were then provided by the RCD under contract with the Project Partner team and #SaveLACougars Campaign Leader National Wildlife Federation, and culminated with the rendering and 3D printed model shown above (fabrication by Solid Terrain Modeling of Fillmore, CA).
Supplemental in-kind match funding was provided by the RCD itself on all phases of the design process to date.
In addition to Designing the Wildlife Overpass, the RCD designed, wrote the grant for, and managed the Wildlife Conservation Board-funded Phase One Liberty Canyon Wildlife Underpass Improvements project, with significant match funding from LA County and in-kind long term management and maintenance services by MRCA.
Additional funding for the Final Design and Engineering phase of the project was identified for RCDSMM architectural services through a successful grant application by the Project Partners to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife; the Final Design and Engineering Phase has now begun. The RCDSMM will continue to provide architectural services during Caltrans Final Design, with an expanded team of engineers and specialist design consultants joining the RCDSMM/Caltrans design team to complete the design and construction documents. Project completion is scheduled for 2023
RCD Executive Officer and Architect Clark Stevens was quoted by AP writer Christopher Weber in the New York Times saying: “Ideally the animals will never know they’re on a bridge. It’s landscape flowing over a freeway. It’s putting back a piece of the ecosystem that was lost.”
Stay tuned for updates on the project here and on our social media at @rcdsmm and on our Facebook page!
