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PCH will reopen to the public ahead of Memorial Day weekend
Sunny skies over the PCH
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Howard F. via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
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Topline:
An 11-mile stretch of Pacific Coast Highway will reopen Friday. Access to the portion of the iconic highway that connects Los Angeles and Malibu has been restricted for months following the Palisades Fire.
More details on the reopening: Starting at 8 a.m. Friday, the public will have access to two lanes in each direction. There will be a 25 mph speed limit to ensure the safety of repair crews, who will continue to work along the road even after it opens.
Restricted access for Palisades: Only residents, business owners, employees and contractors will have access to the Pacific Palisades, according to L.A. Mayor Karen Bass' office. The number of checkpoints will also increase from five to 16, and L.A. police and California Highway Patrol officers will continue to be deployed in the Palisades.
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Ahead of projections: Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had projected that one lane of traffic would be open before the end of May, celebrated the “ahead of schedule” reopening.
“In California, we get stuff done, period,” the governor said in a statement. “We’re opening the PCH back up early, with more lanes before Angelenos hit the road this Memorial Day. We are able to do this thanks to the tireless work of hundreds of construction and road crews and with help from our partners at the Army Corps of Engineers.”
What other officials are saying: L.A. City Councilwoman Traci Park thanked the governor and state for their “unwavering partnership in keeping the Pacific Palisades safe over the past four and a half months,” according to the governor’s news release.
The Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber CEO Barbara Bruderlin likened the reopening to the sun coming out after a dark night, saying Malibu’s businesses have “struggled valiantly to survive.”
A similar sentiment was shared by the Santa Monica Chamber CEO Judy Kruger.
“Easy access to our vibrant coastal community is critical for businesses to thrive now more than ever,” Kruger said in her statement.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
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