California's Wildlife Crossing is a Costly Boondoggle Like Other State Projects
Source: https://www.facebook.com/americanspectator/. "Newsom’s Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing | The American Spectator | USA News and Politics." April 2, 2026. spectator.org
The Gist
California is spending $92 million on a highway overpass for animals that's already over budget and behind schedule. The author argues this is just another wasteful government project, pointing to a failed toad tunnel and other expensive California infrastructure failures as proof these projects don't work.
Conclusion
The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is a wasteful government boondoggle that exemplifies California's pattern of expensive, ineffective infrastructure projects
Premises
- The wildlife crossing is $21 million over budget and delayed beyond its original 2025 completion date
- A similar wildlife crossing project in Davis, California (the toad tunnel) cost $12,000-14,000 but no toads were ever found using it, suggesting these projects don't work
- California has a documented pattern of infrastructure boondoggles, including the high-speed rail project that ballooned from $9.95 billion to $135 billion and the Bay Bridge that was 10 years late and $5 billion over budget
- Governor Newsom failed to provide quantifiable evidence that the crossing actually saves lives or provides the claimed benefits
- The project's $92 million cost is excessive for what amounts to a highway overpass for animals
Assumptions
- Past performance of similar projects predicts future performance
- Government infrastructure projects should be judged primarily on cost-effectiveness and measurable outcomes
- The Davis toad tunnel is a valid comparison to the wildlife crossing despite different scale and species
- Projects that go over budget and behind schedule are inherently wasteful
- The burden of proof for public benefit lies with project proponents