PCH Landslide Fix's Complexity Prompts Plans For A Temporary Lane Shift

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA — Caltrans plans to shift a portion of Pacific Coast Highway toward the ocean in order to remedy a lane closure put in place following a February landslide, officials announced Tuesday.

One of two northbound lanes on PCH near Porto Marina Way was closed in mid-February due to a slide that was worsened by a second series of storms in March. The slide continues to be unstable and needs more complex repairs, prompting Caltrans to seek a temporary fix.

Caltrans is planning a project that will see both northbound and southbound lanes shifted toward the beach to the shoulder of the current southbound lanes.

"There is no estimated start date for construction at this time, but Caltrans recognizes the severely negative impact to traffic flow and commuters and is expediting the preparation process," reads a release from the department.

The project — which will involve grinding, paving, restriping and removing lane delineators in the median that are secured with concrete and bolts — is expected to take two weeks, Caltrans said.

The fix is only temporary, Caltrans said. The slide area, referred to as the Tramonto Slide, has been an issue for years.

A 2010 study recommended that long-term repairs start from the top of the slide; the land impacted is owned by various entities, including private owners and the city of Los Angeles, Caltrans said.

"Once the slope has been stabilized from the top, Caltrans can continue with repairs at the bottom of the slide," Caltrans wrote. "A permanent resolution to the Tramonto slide area will need to be determined through communication with the owners of the property outside of Caltrans’ right of way. Long-term mitigation may require construction of infrastructure on private property and there is no estimate of when a plan will be established."