When Will Topanga Canyon Reopen? With A Major Landslide Looming, It’s Unclear

The bottom half of Topanga Canyon has been closed for about three weeks now due to a landslide that sent rocks and dirt tumbling into the road during heavy rains on March 9. However, since then, the situation’s only gotten more dire as the earth has continued to move.

“It’s really unstable and we can’t put workers underneath where boulders are still falling down,” said Jim Medina, a spokesperson for Caltrans.

So far, officials don't know when the road will open back up.

What are the lingering dangers?

In addition to documenting continued movement, Caltrans spotted a major tension crack above the existing slide, an indication that water has percolated deep into the earth and compromised its ability to stick together. With the hill pushing down on the face of the steep slope, the entire hillside could give out at any moment.

We’ve talked about deep seated landslides quite a bit over the past year following the Palos Verdes slide that destroyed several homes. It can take water some time to make its way through the soil, which is why the slides can occur long after rain passes.

Topanga Canyon is no stranger to landslides given how steep it is. It was one of the hardest hit spots over the past few months, receiving more than a year’s worth of precipitation.

The landslide blocking Topanga Canyon.

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James Medina

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Caltrans

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Fixing the problem

It’s unclear exactly how the problem will be addressed in the long term, but it could include grading the hillside or installing a wall to hold the remaining dirt back.

But that process can’t begin until the hill starts to dry out, which means before any progress is made it’s got to stop raining.