This is an open letter to Caltrans from a very frustrated Malibu/La Costa resident and business owner. Caltrans should do whatever is necessary to make a third traffic lane now. Every day, every hour, every minute our city does not have access to this much needed artery, the citizens, vendors and visitors are wasting away in traffic. Caltrans’ officials need to solidly convince all of us why the boxcars need to be a continual clot in our city’s bloodstream.They can’t make us believe that there is the same danger of an entire hill falling down as there was over two months ago! No one wants an unsafe road condition, but a simple and proven effective barricade system of concrete “freeway” barriers with a chain link “debris” fence on top should work perfectly fine. The cone placement separating traffic flow would be adjusted accordingly at the peak times . . . just like it’s done on Golden Gate Bridge at rush hour! Caltrans will still have their side to finish the dirt removal and hillside work, but would be giving us 12 precious feet of invaluable asphalt. Opening up another lane will probably save lives, too. In the mornings (when everyone is always late), our La Costa neighborhood feels like the Indianapolis Speedway! The “residents only” very narrow and windy Rambla Vista is a serious accident waiting to happen. All the business owners at the La Costa Plaza have to put up with those crazy drivers who cut across two lanes of PCH to get back on the other side to only cut in line again. We need to get our city flowing again with no unnecessary clots and we can’t wait another minute longer. Caltrans and CHP need to realize that this is an extreme emergency and they need to provide an immediate solution to help us. Parents are trying to get their kids to school on time, friends are trying to not be late for dinner parties, players are trying to make their soccer practices and businesses are trying to make another buck. We want our lane back now, not later!
Douglas W. Burdge A.I.A.