This coming Thursday, March 27, Caltrans will be holding a public in-person only meeting at the Santa Monica Main Library (601 Santa Monica Blvd.) to discuss a $72 million pavement rehabilitation project on 12 miles of the Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1 aka “the PCH”) between the McClure Tunnel in Santa Monica and Cross Creek Road in Malibu. If all goes according to schedule, the project will begin construction in the summer of 2027 and be completed by 2029.
Malibu public radio station 99.1 KBUU broke the news last week with the details of the rehab project which goes beyond just adding a new layer of concrete. In addition, the project will also add some new bike lanes:
- a westbound 9,500-foot segment from Carbon Canyon to Serra Road;
- another 3,400-foot segment on the westbound side from Temescal Canyon Road to Bay Club Drive;
- and one 2,400-foot segment eastbound near Will Rogers State Beach.
KBUU was critical of Caltrans’ proposal for only having a bike lane run in one direction through the downtown business district. Caltrans staff says the one-way bike lane is a compromise made after community feedback that prioritized car parking in the area. The Caltrans press release also promised refurbished bus stops along the PCH.
Other proposed improvements that will be discussed on Wednesday include: upgrading ADA-accessible ramps, and installing new metal beam guardrails, enhance lighting in the Roosevelt Tunnel and Will Rogers Parking Lot Tunnel pedestrian crossings, add new sidewalks at bus stops, and install a new overhead sign at Sunset Avenue.
Large portions of this project area were impacted by the wildfires in January and a major stretch of the PCH is still closed to through traffic.
This week’s meeting should not be confused with the April and May meetings Caltrans announced earlier this week for the PCH Master Plan Feasibility Study. For more information on those meetings, visit Biking in LA.
