Roadkill is a huge problem for many cities, and to solve this crisis, Los Angeles decided to implement the world's largest wildlife bridge that will extend over US Highway 101, a 10-lane freeway. The animal overpass will connect various parts of the Santa Monica Moutain in order to protect mountain lions and other wildlife. The 10-lane highway restricted many animals from roaming as they would naturally, however, the green bridge will now allow mountain lions to socialize and mate, significantly increasing their odds of surviving as a species. The bridge has a budget of $87 million USD and recently entered the final design phase. If all goes to plan, the bridge should open by 2023.
Image Credit: Raymond Garcia (Illustrator)
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Wildlife Bridges
- The implementation of wildlife bridges can revolutionize road safety and methods of transportation by making our highways more ecologically friendly.
- Eco-friendly Infrastructure
- The focus on creating eco-friendlier products, buildings and infrastructure is becoming increasingly important with global environmental concerns and creates a range of innovative business opportunities.
- Animal Conservation Efforts
- The implementation of animal conservation efforts can create opportunities for the development of advanced technologies that can help preserve species and their habits while still accommodating necessary human infrastructure.
Where This Applies
- Civil Engineering
- Civil engineers can revolutionize highway design and construction by making infrastructure more environmentally sustainable.
- Ecotourism
- Impressive infrastructure structures like the wildlife bridge can attract tourists from all over the world, creating business opportunities in the ecotourism industry.
- Wildlife Protection
- The construction of wildlife bridges can create unique opportunities for businesses focused on creating advanced technologies for wildlife tracking, conservation, and monitoring.
