Traffic is expected to ease traveling westbound from Pacific Palisades into Malibu now that Caltrans opened a second westbound lane north of Sunset Boulevard. The right-hand lane on westbound Pacific Coast Highway at Porto Marina Way has been blocked for 10 weeks following a landslide that’s been encroaching on the highway for 70 years. Mud and rocks finally gave way after intense rain storms,completely taking out the right lane causing a choke point affecting traffic on PCH, Sunset Blvd., and even the 10 freeway.
During the overnight hours of May 30, Caltrans crews were able to reconfigure and restripe lanes by shifting traffic to the ocean side and by using the southbound shoulder to open another lane. While two lanes will remain open in both directions during the daytime hours of 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. work will continue in the evenings and lanes will be reduced to one in each direction from 7:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. so Caltrans can add K-rail at the base of what’s known as the Tramonto Slide and to add more signage.
Due to the instability of the slide, the northbound lane will remain closed until Caltrans, the City of Los Angeles, and private property owners devise a plan to remove the slide from its origin point above Pacific Coast Highway.