No one in Corral Canyon actually lives in the City of Malibu, but Corral Canyon Road from PCH to just shy of the first homes does fall within city boundaries. Unfortunately for the residents up here, the City seems to have little incentive to keep the road in good repair since none of us are Malibu voters, nor does the City receive any of our property tax.
Back in 2001, the homeowners of Corral had to band together and shame the City into properly repairing a failed section of lower Corral that it had quietly voted to cheap-out with a one-lane solution. Currently, this is the only smooth section of Malibu’s road. The City announced its yearly road repair project back in the summer, and to no one’s surprise it did not include Corral Canyon Road. Repeated requests made to the City Public Works Department to repair potholes and cracks at best results in hurried patchwork that quickly decays into loose chunks that rattle in fender wells.
There is a lot of traffic up this road, despite the relatively few inhabitants. The public rocks, vistas and trails at the top end of the road attract many hikers, mountain bikers, and partying Pepperdine students. The recent second fire of the year in the canyon is a reminder of how important it is to maintain good access for emergency vehicles and a viable escape route for residents. Come on, City of Malibu, fix the road!
Scott Palama