Emergency Freeway Closure for Bluff Stabilization Project
July 21, 2023 9:23 AM
by Selim Eren
Updated July 26, 2023.
Work has been completed on the bluff stabilization project and all routes are now open ahead of schedule as of 10:45 a.m. on July 26. Thanks to the community for their patience and to Public Works for their organized, thorough, and quick work on the project!
Recently, the City discovered an unstable portion of the Santa Monica Bluffs located just above the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) between the California Incline and Moomat Ahiko Way.
In order to address the land instability and to ensure safety, the City is proactively performing an emergency removal of the portion identified.
(Two photos side by side. On the left, a close up photo of the Santa Monica Bluffs showing a portion of the bluff with a large crack. On the right, a photo is an aerial view of the bluffs looking north. The bluff with a crack is in the foreground. Embedded in the left photo are text boxes indicating the Santa Monica Veterans Memorial, the Pacific Coast Highway, the PCH/Arizona Pedestrian Bridge, Ocean Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard.)
The bluff removal will require a temporary early morning closure of all lanes of northbound PCH and in connection westbound I-10, in addition to a temporary overnight and morning closure of the Moomat Ahiko Way on-ramp from Ocean Avenue to PCH.
The southbound PCH will remain open, and the eastbound I-10 will remain open.
TIMELINE
- CLOSURE: Tuesday, July 25, beginning at 11:30 p.m. - closure of Moomat Ahiko Way on-ramp to PCH between Ocean Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway. The off-ramp from PCH to Ocean Avenue will remain open.
- CLOSURE: Wednesday, July 26, beginning at 2 a.m. - closure of westbound I-10 at Lincoln Boulevard through northbound Pacific Coast Highway to the California Incline. The Lincoln Boulevard offramp will remain open and the California Incline will remain open. The southbound PCH and Eastbound I-10 will remain open.
- REOPENING: All routes will reopen on Wednesday, July 26, by 12 p.m.
DETOURS
Download a PDF version of the map here.
A detour route is available via the I-10 westbound Lincoln Boulevard exit, using either Wilshire or Santa Monica west to Ocean Avenue, then northbound Ocean to the northbound California Incline to PCH. See the below map.
Traffic impacts will be monitored throughout the closure. Additional detours may be implemented to safely facilitate reroutes and mitigate traffic back-ups. In addition, all persons exiting Santa Monica Beach Parking Lots 7 North, 6 North, 5 North, 4 North, 3 North will only be able to turn right onto southbound PCH during the closure time.
Residents and businesses in the impacted zone along PCH between the California Incline and Santa Monica Pier should expect the following construction impacts:
- No left/northbound turn onto Pacific Coast Highway between Pier and California Incline from residences and business parking lots
- Heavy traffic on southbound Pacific Coast Highway
- Loud construction noise starting from 2 a.m. – 12 p.m. (noon)
Big Blue Bus will offer free rides during the closures, to help keep riders moving and minimize traffic delays in Santa Monica. On Wednesday, July 26, 2023, Big Blue Bus customers can board any bus for free all day. Big Blue Bus will resume fare collection on Thursday, July 27, 2023.
Authored By
Selim Eren
Principal Civil Engineer