There’s a new rule for westbound travelers on Pacific Coast Highway turning right on Webb Way. Making that turn on a red light from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. is illegal. How long ago this rule came into effect, that’s disputed.
Statements from city, state and law enforcement officials about the rule conflict.
California Department of Transportation spokesperson Judy Gish said signs warning about the rule have been up for more than a year, and were installed with the full knowledge and support of Malibu city officials. Councilmember Ken Kearsley, mayor at the time when the signs were supposedly installed, said they have been up for only a month or so. “To my knowledge nobody in the city was notified in advance,” Kearsley said.
Sgt. Philip Brooks, traffic officer at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station, said the signs have been posted at the intersection for more than six months.
The Malibu Times controller Janice Vicioso, an Agoura resident who grew up in Malibu, learned about the new law the hard way-by getting a ticket. “The officer who gave me the ticket said the signs were put up about a month ago,” Vicioso said. “I felt he should have given me a warning because when you’re sitting there to make a right-hand turn, you’re checking for safety, you’re not reading all the signs on the corners.”
Brooks said, “Generally we go the first month with warnings on something like this. It’s not a policy; we just usually do that to give people time to get accustomed to the new regulation. But it has been closer to a year now. And if it’s a safety hazard we don’t do any warnings.”
Brooks did not know the exact number of tickets that had been written for the right-turn infraction. “But I don’t think it’s a big problem,” he said. “People pretty much follow the signs. And it’s really not an advantage for them to turn there because of that stop sign [at the next intersection on Webb Way, with Civic Center Way].”
The rule, an exception to the long-standing state traffic code permitting right turns on a red light, was instigated by Caltrans to alleviate a growing problem during peak hours at that intersection, according to state agency.
CalTrans spokesperson Gish said, “The reason for it is that when the left- turn light went on for [eastbound] PCH traffic turning left onto Webb Way, the [westbound] people were turning right at the same time. This created a big backup getting onto Webb Way.
“So for proper traffic flow we wanted to be sure the left-turning traffic was totally cleared from the intersection before the right-turning cars could go.”
Kearsley said he had some concerns about the rule.
“My worry now, my guess, is that when everybody realizes you can’t make a right turn on the red light at PCH and Webb Way from 4 to 7, they’re going to make a right at Cross Creek [Road],” said Kearsley, which he said would only make the traffic problem in the Civic Center area worse.
The council member did say there is a necessity for greater control of the growing congestion at the intersection, due primarily to what he termed “Z-traffic.”
“These are the people who use Malibu to access the San Fernando and Conejo Valleys over Malibu Canyon,” Kearsley said. “What happens is, one group goes up to Webb Way on PCH and makes a right, and another group, the ‘Civic Center Cowboys,’ turn right at Cross Creek Road, then make a left at Civic Center Way. They all meet at the stop signs, causing Webb Way traffic to stack up back to PCH, and we get gridlock.”
What people heading to Malibu Canyon should do, Kearsley said, is continue up Pacific Coast Highway to the top of the hill and make a right turn at Malibu Canyon Road instead of using the bypass through Webb Way or Civic Center Way, which they consider a short cut.
With the Cross Creek Road redesign project starting up in the fall, and new development coming to the area, Kearsley said the Civic Center area will eventually not be considered a shortcut, and drivers will access Malibu Canyon by making a right on that road from Pacific Coast Highway.
“We’re putting in diagonal parking on both sides, a decomposed granite walkway and all sorts of vegetation to pretty it up and make more parking,” Kearsley said. “And as the Civic Center grows and more people work there, traffic patterns are going to have to change and eventually, I suspect, there will be a stoplight at Civic Center Way and Webb Way.