Caltrans estimates the massive landslide at postmile 1.8 on Topanga Canyon Blvd (Route 27) in Topanga Canyon will be cleared by fall 2024 if all things go well.
Water continues to seep out from under dirt, mud and rocks, indicating mass may move. The last rainstorm (April 13 - 14) further saturated the unstable hillside.
• Due to present geological conditions and instability of the slope, material must be removed from the top down. Removing the "toe" of the slope will bring down the unstable earth and large boulders above as water is still percolating under the surface.
• A boulder that is about 10 feet high that is visible from the south side of the landslide is a safety concern. A crack has formed behind it that is about 5 to 10 feet wide, with the weight of the hillside pushing down on the boulder.
A rough estimate of the landslide - just the visible face — is about 80,000 cubic yards and 9.2 million pounds. This is enough material to fill 5,500 dump trucks.
• SR-27 is closed from Grand View Drive to SR-1 (PCH). Temporary signal lights have been installed at Tuna Canyon Road and State Route 1 (Pacific Coast Highway). The signal provides a measure of safety for Topanga Canyon residents who need to access southbound PCH while SR-27 is closed.
• A major landslide occurred adjacent to the current landslide in the 1940s. It's unknown how long the roadway was closed at that time. The landslide that occurred March 9, 2024, is twice as large - the visible face is about 300 feet above the roadway but extends about 200 feet beyond that point into the brush.
Caltrans is working with the county and elected officials to mitigate impacts to the community. The public can submit questions to Topanga@dot.ca.gov.
The landslide is about 9.2 million pounds.
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