In 2012, a mountain lion known as P-22 became a symbol of wildlife struggle in Southern California when he crossed the busy 101 Freeway in search of new territory. P-22, nicknamed “LA’s loneliest lion,” found himself isolated in the Hollywood Hills, unable to return to the mountains he came from. His journey highlighted the growing problem of habitat fragmentation caused by highways, which separate wildlife populations and make it dangerous for animals to move safely. To address this issue, the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is set to open in December. This massive structure will be the largest of its kind in the world, allowing animals like mountain lions, coyotes, deer, and black bears to cross the 10-lane Ventura Freeway safely. Though P-22 did not live to see the crossing completed, his story helped raise awareness and led to the creation of over 1,000 new wildlife corridors across the United States in the past 14 years. The Wallis Annenberg Crossing, which cost over $100 million, faced several challenges, including complex engineering and the need for significant private funding. Despite these hurdles, the project has influenced a broader shift in how infrastructure is planned. In 2021, the U.S. government launched the $350 million Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This initiative, led by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, aims to improve road safety for both people and animals by integrating ecological considerations into infrastructure planning. Wildlife crossings have been built in various parts of the country, including a camouflaged overpass for elk in Colorado, a shared land bridge in Texas, and tunnels for toadlets in New Jersey. In the Netherlands, where wildlife crossings have been used for decades, ecologist Marcel Huijser noted that the U.S. has been slower to incorporate ecological concerns into road planning, often treating them as an afterthought rather than a central part of design. While progress has been made, challenges such as political opposition and the need for ongoing funding still exist. Some projects, like the Wallis Annenberg Crossing, have faced criticism and even threats from certain media outlets. However, the success of this crossing may help make wildlife corridors a standard part of transportation planning, reducing the need for individual advocacy and creating safer roads for both humans and animals.