Malibu Backs AI Assistance For PCH Safety

MALIBU, CA — The City Council has joined other local officials in an exploration of whether artificial intelligence could be of assistance in improving Pacific Coast Highway safety.

State officials are seeking to integrate generative AI to process and interpret traffic data with an aim of improving traffic pattern analysis, address bottlenecks and enhance overall traffic management, according to a city report.

As Caltrans plans a master plan for PCH from the Ventura County Border to Santa Monica, local officials believe this could be a good place to implement the broader statewide AI initiative.

The City Council on March 11 voted in favor of the City Manager signing on to joint letter with Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath sent to state transportation officials.

The text of the letter is below:

Dear Secretary Omishakin and Director Tavares,

Thank you for your personal commitment to implementing effective safety improvements, supported by enhanced traffic enforcement, along the Pacific Coast Highway corridor in Los Angeles County with the important objective of saving the lives of pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicle drivers. When the crash that happened in October of last year that resulted in the loss of four young women, I made it clear that bringing substantial change to the PCH is a top priority for my office. For too long, the jurisdictional complexities of the highway have hampered our ability to make these critical improvements. I want to work collaboratively with all partners, particularly CalSTA and Caltrans, who play a central role in traffic safety along the corridor to ensure no further lives are lost on this important stretch of highway.

During both the development and implementation of a coordinated and unified set of actions to address the unsafe conditions in the corridor, the City of Malibu and I are requesting your consideration of a bold approach of building on a new and innovative initiative the state is pursuing. It is my understanding that Caltrans, in cooperation with the Department of General Services and Department of Technology, has issued a “Request for Innovative Ideas” for “Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Solution for Traffic Mobility Insights.” Based on your program schedule, “Innovative Concept Papers” are due from proposers shortly. As the interdepartmental review of GenAI proposals are assessed, I respectfully request that you consider the PCH, from the Ventura County line to Santa Monica, as a corridor of opportunity for utilizing GenAI as an innovative concept and tool to provide forward thinking solutions that have the potential to save lives and improve future mobility throughout the region. Furthermore, as Caltrans looks to complete a comprehensive master plan for PCH, integrating AI and harnessing large-scale data into the planning process has the potential to transform the historic highway by increasing passenger safety, reducing traffic congestion, decreasing carbon emissions, and minimizing overall financial expenses.

As your GenAI “Problem Statement” concludes: “Managing the state’s expansive infrastructure presents multifaceted challenges, demanding innovative solutions beyond traditional methods.” I can’t think of a more important multifaceted challenge than creating new solutions for a corridor that has an unacceptable rate of traffic accidents and fatalities, and where over 15 million visitors travel every year.

Again, thank you very much for your leadership. I hope there will be an opportunity to further discuss this innovative concept with you and your staff. Please do not hesitate to contact my Community Services Deputy, Rachel Fox, who will be your primary point of contact. She can be reached at rfox@bos.lacounty.gov or 213-974-3333.