A safety study of Malibu's 27 miles of Pacific Coast Highway has recently been completed, and the results were presented at two public meetings last week.
The study, which cost $375,000, was performed by LSA Associates, Inc. It was ordered by the City of Malibu and the Southern California Association of Governments.
The study examined safety issues on Pacific Coast Highway from the perspective of motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. The study found that some safety issues on PCH are "pervasive," meaning they occur along the entire PCH corridor. Other safety issues are location-specific.
The locations identified as ranking highest for safety concerns included:
- Intersection of PCH and Las Flores Canyon Rd.
- Intersection of PCH and the Malibu Pier
- Intersection of PCH and Paradise Cove Rd.
Reoccurring safety issues cited in the study include:
- Conflicting uses of PCH shoulder with garbage cans, trash collection, and valet parking and regular parking competing for the same spaces
- Non-uniform signage
- Non-uniform striping
- High speeds
- Drivers slowing down to look for shoulder parking
Other safety problems include:
- Driver's backing onto PCH from residential garages
- Left-turning vehicles at Las Flores and PCH
- Left-turning vehicles at Big Rock and PCH
- Pedestrian crosswalk at La Costa and PCH
- Vehicles slowing on PCH to turn onto Latigo Canyon Rd.
- Shoulder parking near Paradise Cove and Winding Way
- Pedestrians near Paradise Cove and Winding Way
- The three-way intersection of Westward Beach, Bonsall Canyon and Busch Dr, which includes a bus stop, and causes conflict between motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians
Residents who attended last weeks public meetings also expressed concerns about bicycle and pedestrian safety in front of Duke's Restaurant and Malibu Seafood.
McGee, Lerer & Associates is a Santa Monica personal injury law firm which specializes in representing serious injury and wrongul death vicitms. We have extensive experience representing Pacific Coast Highway accident victims, including bicyclists, drivers and pedestrians.