Wildlife crossing makes us wonder: Can California still build anything?

The long-awaited wildlife crossing over the 101 is behind schedule and over budget. Which raises the question: Can we still build anything in California?

The overpass is meant to provide a way for wildlife to cross from one side of the freeway to another. With mountain lions being killed on California’s roadways on a regular basis, there is considerable support for a solution.

But it’s not clear whether an overpass over the 101 will work — are the lions supposed to follow Waze to find it? — and the work seems largely unfinished, just weeks before the overpass is set to open.

The National Wildlife Federation insisted to The California Post that the wildlife crossing will be inaugurated on Dec. 2, as planned.

But one look at the current state of construction is enough to raise serious doubts.

The hillside where the crossing is being constructed is steep, leaving a sheer drop between the overpass and the hillside below. 

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That artificial cliff will have to be blended into the hill with landscaping and stabilized before animals can use it. 

And as anyone with a back yard in California knows, the ground doesn’t always stay in the place you think it should go.

With a strong El Niño expected to arrive in the coming weeks, heavy rains could force further delays — just as they held up construction over the past few years.

And at a price tag of $92 million — which has ballooned to well over $100 million — Californians might well wonder if it is worth the cost.

Yes, the project was originally supposed to be privately funded, but now the state of California is kicking in about 20% of the cost. 

Is this really something the taxpayers of California ought to be funding? And if so — we deserve more oversight and accountability.

Before committing to such a large project, it might have been useful to ask whether an overpass was really the best answer — or whether an underpass might have been a better option. 

Politicians naturally prefer bridges to tunnels, because they like to put their names on things people will see everyday.

But there is evidence that mountain lions might prefer to go underground rather than climbing over a roadway.

It could take years to know whether the wildlife crossing even works. It will have to be monitored closely.

And the next project needs to be on time, and under budget.