I-405 Corridor Study:  Evaluation of Movement of Wildlife Across the I-405 Before and After Construction South of the I-405/101-Freeway Interchange

Lead Biologist: Cathy Schoonmaker [Cathy_Schoonmaker (at) NPS.gov]
Lead Agency: National Park Service
Project Duration: 2010-present
Funding Source: CalTrans

Project Overview and Goals:  This project is funded by CalTrans in an effort to learn wildlife movement patterns across the I-405 before and after 2010-2012 expansion efforts.  Expansion efforts are presently slated to include the construction of wildlife crossings.  This projects only uses remote cameras placed in several areas with already available pedestrian crossing points such as the Mulholland/Skirball Bridge and Sepulveda underpasses.  Cameras are securely placed on either side of the freeway in natural habitat areas as well as in multiple points on bridges or within underpasses.  The goal is to document wildlife using the natural areas on either side of the freeway (ie., all documented wildlife species including mammalian carnivores), as well as documenting the species that cross the I-405 and the frequency of crossing events.  These data collection are ongoing and will continue after the construction of both the freeway expansion and crossings intended for wildlife have completed.