Residents, essential businesses, and school buses regain access as PCH reopens with lane reductions, speed limits, and checkpoint requirements amid ongoing wildfire recovery efforts
The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is set to reopen with limited access for residents of fire-affected areas in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu, as well as essential businesses and school bus traffic, starting at 6 a.m. on Thursday, February 20, officials announced.
The reopening follows coordinated efforts by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Los Angeles County officials, and local law enforcement to ensure a safe and organized return for residents navigating through the burn zones. Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath emphasized that authorities have streamlined access procedures to help residents, business owners, and essential workers regain entry to their properties.
“The PCH closure has been challenging for our residents who need to get to and from work, school, and essential trips,” Horvath said. “As PCH reopens, we have made it easier for them to navigate checkpoints and access their properties. Our Malibu, Topanga Canyon, Big Rock, Sunset Mesa, and other impacted communities can now pick up access passes from Malibu City Hall. We remain committed to supporting our residents through every step of recovery.”
Access Pass Distribution
Residents and business owners in Malibu, Sunset Mesa, Topanga Canyon, and other unincorporated communities will be able to pick up access passes from Malibu City Hall at 23825 Stuart Ranch Rd. between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is overseeing distribution.
For Pacific Palisades residents and businesses, access passes will continue to be available at the Disaster Recovery Center, located at 10850 Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Individuals picking up passes must provide identification, such as a driver’s license, utility bill, tax document, or pay stub, verifying their residence or business location. Each household member should have a pass, which must be displayed on the vehicle dashboard when traveling along PCH.
Contractors are only eligible for access passes if they are performing assessments, evaluations, security services, or work inside standing structures, including cleaning and remediation. Residents requiring tow or moving services must accompany the service provider through checkpoints.
Restrictions and Safety Measures
Traffic on PCH will be restricted to one lane in each direction, with a reduced speed limit of 25 mph between Chautauqua Boulevard in Pacific Palisades and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu. All signalized intersections will operate on flashing red and must be treated as four-way stops. Parking and pedestrian access will be strictly prohibited in the work zone.
To ensure safety for motorists and recovery crews, vehicles will not be permitted to pass one another. Traffic congestion is expected, particularly in areas where lanes merge, such as the McClure Tunnel and the California Incline.
The reopening remains limited to residents and authorized personnel, with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the California Highway Patrol (CHP), and the National Guard maintaining checkpoints and crime suppression efforts. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will continue to deploy additional staff to Malibu and unincorporated communities to ensure security and facilitate access.
Ongoing Recovery Efforts
Caltrans warns that while PCH is reopening for essential travel, it remains an active recovery zone for wildfire and storm-related debris removal. The right lane in each direction will remain closed to allow safe access for utility workers and contractors.
Authorities urge residents to allow extra time for their commutes and avoid the area if travel is not essential. General access to Malibu remains restricted, with visitors directed to use alternative routes such as Malibu Canyon Road, Kanan Dume Road, or Las Virgenes Road via U.S. 101.
Officials caution that hard closures may still be required in certain areas as cleanup efforts continue. For updated road closure information, residents can visit pw.lacounty.gov/roadclosures or dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-7/district-7-news/d7-pch-access-expanded.
Motorists are reminded to observe speed limits and exercise caution when driving through the work zone, where traffic fines may be doubled for violations.
