Officials at the California Department of Transportation on Wednesday announced the expansion of the “soft closure” of Pacific Coast Highway to residents who need it for essential travel.
A portion of PCH has been closed since the devastating Palisades Fire, which erupted on Jan. 7, ravaged the area.
Opening at 6 a.m. Feb 20, Caltrans said access to PCH will be limited to residents, essential businesses, their employees and school bus traffic, and access passes will be required to gain entry.
There are still restrictions for those allowed on the vital roadway, including:
- PCH is reduced to one lane in each direction with a 25 mile per hour speed limit between Chautauqua Boulevard in Pacific Palisades and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu
- All intersections with traffic lights will be on flashing red and should be treated as four-way stops, even if the intersection is dark due to a power outage
- There is no parking, no stopping and no pedestrians allowed in the work zone
- Motorists are not allowed to pass other vehicles
- There is one lane through the McClure Tunnel from westbound I-10 to northbound PCH, and one lane entering northbound PCH from the California Incline. These two lanes merge into one lane, potentially causing delays
“Closing the right lane in each direction allows safe access for utility workers, debris haulers and contractors who are working on wildfire and storm recovery efforts,” Caltrans said in a post to X.
While PCH in this area remains closed to general traffic, those who can access the highway should expect significant delays and should allow for extra time on any commute or, if possible, avoid the area.
Visitors wanting to get to Malibu can use Las Virgenes, Canyon or Kanan Dume roads from the 101 Freeway.
Obtaining Access Passes
On Thursday, residents and businesses in the burn scar areas of Malibu, Sunset Mesa, Topanga Canyon and other unincorporated communities can get access passes at Malibu City Hall at 23825 Stuart Ranch Rd. between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. These will be provided by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.
Pacific Palisades residents and businesses in the burn scar area can continue to get access passes from Los Angeles City staff at the Disaster Recovery Center at 10850 Pico Blvd. from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Access Pass Details
Identification with a name and address (i.e. utility bill, tax bill, paystub or bank statement) is required to pick up an access pass. Each member of the household should have an access pass and display on the dashboard of their vehicle.
The Los Angeles Police Department and National Guard continue to man checkpoints, while California Highway Patrol provides crime suppression support within the zone. LASD is still also operating with elevated staffing throughout Malibu and unincorporated areas to maintain high presence.
