Topanga Canyon Boulevard Reopens, But Traffic Controls Remain

TOPANGA, CA — Travel between the San Fernando Valley and Pacific Coast Highway via Topanga Canyon Boulevard is once again possible after a critical stretch of the road reopened Sunday.

But intermittent lane closures will be in effect moving forward as crews continue work related to the landslide that shut down the road for nearly three months, according to Caltrans.

Topanga Canyon Boulevard had been closed between Pacific Coast Highway and Grand View Drive since March 9, after storms triggered mud and debris flows that made travel on the road unsafe, according to officials.

One-way traffic controls will be in effect during non-peak hours as crews continue their work. The controls will see north- and south-bound traffic share a single lane, with the direction controlled by a flagger.

Some 15,000 cubic yards of material were removed from the slide area. It's being repurposed by Ventura County farmers, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works and an art installation in downtown Los Angeles near LA State Historic Park., according to Caltrans.

To remove materials, crews built an access road adjacent to the slide to push down materials from the top using a Spider Excavator and loading the materials into Super-10 trucks with a long-reach excavator. From there, the trucks hauled the dirt and rocks to the farms, county storage locations and the art installation, according to a statement.

Now that Caltrans has stabilized the slope and removed material, geotechnical engineers and geologists will monitor the site for any movement. Officials recommended a cable-mesh drapery system to prevent any sloughing of remaining loose materials and planting native seeds to further stabilize the slope.

On May 3, Gov. Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency to help secure federal funding to repair damage to roads battered during March storms, including state Route 27-Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

City News Service contributed to this report.