Construction is underway on Malibu's Traffic Signal Synchronization Project, the City’s most significant measure yet to improve safety & mobility on PCH. Lane closures on PCH from Topanga to Big Rock weekdays 6AM-3PM.
Street work will get underway on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) starting between Topanga Canyon and Big Rock Drive in Malibu the week of December 4 on Malibu’s Traffic Signal Synchronization Project, the City’s most significant measure to date to improve safety and mobility on PCH.
“Since 2010, 58 individuals have died in accidents on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, and it is no surprise that improving safety on this iconic highway has been a top priority for our City,” said Mayor Steve Uhring. “Our signal synchronization project is a major step toward our goal of a safer PCH. Once completed it will make PCH safer for our residents, for the 40,000 commuters who pass through Malibu every day and for the 15 million visitors who visit Malibu every summer.”
The project will make PCH a safer "Smart Corridor" by installing communication lines between the existing traffic signals on PCH from Topanga Canyon Boulevard to John Tyler Drive to synchronize the signals to existing traffic conditions. It will allow signals to be controlled remotely by the Caltrans Traffic Management Center to lower traffic speeds and reduce congestion.
The new equipment will capture real-time traffic data and send it to the traffic signal controllers, which will use state-of-the art software to adjust the traffic signal timing to actual traffic volume. Vehicles going the speed over the speed limit will encounter red lights, while those going the speed limit will encounter green lights. The project will also include new closed circuit TV cameras at each intersection, replace existing signal poles, street improvements and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility upgrades, Adaptive Traffic Control System (ATCS) sensors, and changeable message signs.
Community members have consistently advocated for better safety and mobility conditions on PCH for decades. The project was approved by the City Council in 2017 and is a major step toward achieving the top priority of the City’s PCH Safety Study.
According to CalTrans, PCH at Malibu Canyon Road handles roughly 4,600 cars per hour, or approximately 40,500 vehicles per day during peak hours in the summer months. About 1,215,000 vehicles pass through Malibu on PCH every month during the summer.
During the past 10 years, Malibu has had more than 4,000 traffic collisions, 1,600 of which involved injuries and more than 100,000 traffic citations have been issued. On October 17, four Pepperdine students were killed by a speeding motorist while walking along PCH. Excessive speed is the most commonly cited violation every year. Speeding and improper turns are the most common contributing factor to collisions, both of which will be directly addressed by the Traffic Signal Synchronization Project. Additionally, the system will be used to enhance our emergency evacuations and keep traffic moving quickly and safely.
The $34.6 million project is fully funded through Measure R funds administered by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and is expected to take about one year to complete.
Work hours will be Monday through Friday 6:00 AM - 3:00 PM with alternating lane closures in both directions, mostly on the right-hand lanes. Summer work hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day) will be Monday through Friday 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM, with some nighttime work.
Residents can expect noise, lights, vibrations, and dust related to the work. Watch for workers and work vehicles in and around the roadway and altered traffic patterns. Under California law, traffic citations are doubled in construction zones.
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