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Malibu officials approve state-funded project that Caltrans says will make PCH safer
Pacific Coast Highway.
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Eric Demarcq via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
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Malibu planning officials voted 4-1 on Monday to approve a permit for a modified version of a state-funded plan to repave the western half of Pacific Coast Highway and add features Caltrans says will increase safety of the roadway, including sidewalks, streetlights and unprotected bike lanes.
How the vote shook out: Malibu Planning Commissioner John Mazza was the sole “no” vote. Earlier in the meeting, he cast doubt on Caltrans' assertion that installing streetlights along the historic highway will make it safer and said he didn’t want the project to include a controversial sidewalk in front of Pepperdine University.
Construction for the first segment of the two-part road rehabilitation project, extending from Cross Creek Road to the county line, is set to begin next spring and finish at the end of 2028.
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Caltrans
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Modifications to the project: Based on feedback from the commission’s last public hearing on the project, Caltrans and city officials agreed to a series of modifications to the road rehabilitation project:
- Caltrans decreased the number of new streetlights from 42 to 27.
- City planning staff will inspect and ensure the lights are compliant with the city’s Dark Sky Ordinance.
- Caltrans reduced the total length of new or upgraded bike lanes from 15 to 10 miles.
- Caltrans must engage with first responders and Pepperdine University about a sidewalk it plans to build between John Tyler Road and Malibu Canyon Road to clear any concerns over emergency access to campus.
One part of a whole: The permit the commission approved is for the first segment of a two-part road rehabilitation project. A similar project for the eastern half of PCH in Malibu will come before the commission in the future. Construction for the first segment is set to begin next spring and finish at the end of 2028. The project is just one of several initiatives in the works to make PCH safer.
Time was of the essence: A spokesperson for Caltrans said the department needed to get approval and begin the bidding process in November. Otherwise, the funding could have lapsed, the spokesperson said. In total, the project is estimated to cost $73 million, of which $53 million will be used for construction.
Appeals timeline starts: According to the city, an “aggrieved person” has 10 days after approval to file an appeal of a Coastal Development Permit, like the one the commission extended to the Caltrans project. If the project is appealed, the matter will go before Malibu’s City Council.
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