“This community was forever changed by the loss of four bright young women whose lives were full of promise. That day became a turning point. Malibu has been united in one purpose — to make PCH safer for everyone,” Malibu City Councilmember Doug Stewart, October 17, 2025
On Monday, November 3, the Malibu Planning Commission will hold a final hearing on the proposed Caltrans Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) Safety Project, a $55 million plan to repave and upgrade the western portion of PCH between Cross Creek Road and the Ventura County line. Find meeting details at the bottom of this article.
The Project
This PCH project has been in the works for years. Then, after a fatal crash that killed four young women standing along PCH on October 17, 2023, advocates scrambled to get Caltrans to include safety improvements along with the repaving.
The project now aims to improve safety and accessibility along the corridor via a range of infrastructure updates. Proposed features include 15 miles of new or upgraded bike lanes, nearly 7,000 linear feet of new sidewalks in high-pedestrian areas including near Pepperdine University, 42 dark-sky compliant light poles, 19 guardrails, 22 curb ramps, three retaining walls, and two realigned intersections. The plan also includes median reconstruction and law enforcement pull-outs at various locations. For more details, visit this article from last March.
The Controversy
Supporters of the project acknowledge that these improvements aren’t everything the PCH needs to become truly safe for everyone, in or out of cars, but that it is a huge improvement over what currently exists. However, safety advocates are concerned that there’s a chance Malibu's Planning Commission will reject the proposal on Monday, causing Caltrans to move the funds to a different project in a different city. While the City Council can override the Commission, local advocates expect that the Council will go along with the commission’s recommendations.
Caltrans officials describe the project as a major step toward reducing collisions and improving safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Supporters say it represents a rare opportunity to secure significant funding for long-planned improvements along the scenic highway. Critics have raised concerns about design details and environmental impacts.
So what’s the problem? Opponents assert that the changes would go against the fiercely protected "rural" feel of the city and/or would encourage more bicyclists to use the PCH. Even Pepperdine University, the school of the four people killed in the 2023 crash, is opposed to sidewalks adjacent to their campus.
Needless to say, this argument doesn’t fly with those who have been working to make the PCH safer.
“Two years ago when the four Pepperdine students were brutally murdered by a speeding driver along PCH, the City and community trumpeted how road safety was the #1 priority for Malibu,” writes Damian Kevitt, the executive Director of Streets Are for Everyone (SAFE).
“Now, when the state is offering $55 million to invest in the safety of the western section of PCH to bring substantive safety improvements, suddenly the Malibu City Planning Commission is poised to kill these safety improvements because they are more concerned about preserving the 'rural look' of Malibu, than the need to save lives.”
In a column in yesterday’s Malibu Times, Michael Shane agrees with Kevitt’s assessment. Shane is perplexed that there’s even a debate about whether or not the city should move forward with the project. He concludes that while there may be individual nits to pick, the city needs to agree to this project.
“We need to say 'yes' to this life-saving project and then work collaboratively with Caltrans to refine the details. The lighting can be adjusted. The sidewalk design can be tweaked. The bike lanes can be optimized. But only if we first secure the funding and the opportunity to make these improvements.”
If approved, the project would move into the construction phase with existing state and federal funding. If denied, Caltrans has warned that funding could be reallocated to other regions.
Meeting Details
You can email the Malibu Planning Commission with this action alert created by SAFE, or show up to the Planning Commission Meeting on Monday, November 3, starting at 6:30 p.m. at Malibu City Hall. Additional details at meeting agenda.
You can also join the meeting virtually and give public comment, via this Zoom Link.
