From 1974 to 1981, I worked as the Malibu Township Council’s Director of Transportation, and my top priority was to get the trucks off Pacific Coast Highway to make it safer. We succeeded and, in 1981, large trucks were banned from PCH. At that time traffic safety was a major concern of all Malibu citizens as this is our main street.Â
Today the highway in the vicinity of the Civic Center is in danger of becoming a major traffic nightmare if the city does not concern itself with making sure that there is available parking for all the businesses and restaurants it is permitting. No business should be permitted unless it can demonstrate that it has adequate parking. That should be a major priority for the City Council.Â
With a new hotel planned for the intersection of Malibu Canyon and PCH and new stores opening in the Civic Center area where there is no parking even now, the highway will come to a standstill in that area. This will affect everyone, commuters and residents alike.Â
If they value their lives, residents of Malibu who do not use the highway on weekends should be very concerned. We can see this coming and it is not good! Accidents on the highway have been increasing at an alarming rate recently.Â
I would like to propose that the city consider buying a large parcel in the Civic Center for parking, just like they do for the Chili Cook Off and the Arts Festival. Other cities do this all the time. Do it before Santa Monica College gobbles up all the rest of the parking spaces.Â
Harriet PollonÂ