Portion Of Topanga Canyon Could Be Closed Until Fall

Topline:

A portion of Topanga Canyon Boulevard (SR-27) between Pacific Coast Highway and Grand View Drive will remain closed in both directions due to a March 9 landslide and continuing hillside instability. A Caltrans spokesperson said workers hope to have the road cleared by fall of this year.

Mass could move: “Water continues to seep out from underneath the dirt, mud and rocks, indicating the mass may move at a given moment,” Caltrans spokesperson Jim Medina told LAist. “A rainstorm over this past weekend further saturated the unstable hillside,” he added.

10-foot boulder: Caltrans says a roughly 10-foot boulder that’s visible from the south side is a concern because a huge crack has formed in it with the weight of the hillside pushing down on it. A major landslide occurred near the current one in the 1940s. Caltrans said March’s landslide was twice as large.

How do I get to the beach? Topanga Canyon is a popular route for Angelenos to get to the beach. Medina said it’s safest to stay on the 101 and find alternate routes, staying off of the county-operated roads in the canyon areas.

Caltrans has installed temporary traffic lights at Tuna Canyon Road and PCH.

What’s next: Caltrans’ Geotechnical Services workers are using drone footage and other tools to take pictures of and assess the scope of the landslide. The visible face is estimated to be 80,000 cubic yards and 9.2 million pounds.

The public can submit questions to Caltrans by emailing: topanga@dot.ca.gov