Malibu working to sync traffic lights on the PCH

Malibu starts PCH Signal Synch Project

The City of Malibu is starting work on a project that would sync traffic lights along PCH. Officials say the project will take about a year, and will hopefully make the stretch safer.

MALIBU, Calif. - Crews on Monday began street work between Topanga Canyon and Big Rock Drive in Malibu as part of the Traffic Signal Synchronization Project, which will synchronize traffic signals on the popular highway.

Work will happen weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with alternating lane closures in both directions. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, work will take place weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with some work happening at night, according to the city.

The project, which was approved in 2017, will see all the traffic signals synchronized on the eight-mile section of PCH between John Tyler Drive and Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Planned improvements include new CCTV cameras at each intersection, the replacement of existing signal poles, street improvements, ADA upgrades, sensors and changeable message signs.

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Crews on Monday began street work between Topanga Canyon and Big Rock Drive in Malibu as part of the new Traffic Signal Synchronization Project, which will synchronize traffic signals on the popular highway. / SkyFOX

Since 2018, 58 people have died in accidents on PCH in Malibu, according to Mayor Steve Uhring. Most recently, four Pepperdine University students were killed Oct. 17 when the suspect, 22-year-old Fraser Michael Bohm, reportedly lost control of his BMW. Bohm slammed into three parked cars before ricocheting and fatally striking the victims, who officials said were standing on the side of the road, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

"It is no surprise that improving safety on this iconic highway has been a top priority for our City," Uhring said. "Our signal synchronization project is a major step toward our goal of a safer PCH. Once completed it will make PCH safer for our residents, for the 40,000 commuters who pass through Malibu every day and for the 15 million visitors who visit Malibu every summer."

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The new equipment will capture real-time traffic data and send it to traffic signal controllers, which will use high-tech software to adjust the traffic signal timing to actual traffic volume.

Vehicles going over the speed limit will encounter red lights, while those going the speed limit will encounter green lights, the city said.

Concerns grow over safety on PCH

After several crashes along the famous highway in the past few weeks, safety concerns become a top priority for those in the area.

According to Caltrans, PCH at Malibu Canyon Road handles roughly 4,600 cars per hour, or approximately 40,500 vehicles per day during peak hours in the summer months. About 1,215,000 vehicles pass through Malibu on PCH every month during the summer.

During the past 10 years, Malibu has had more than 4,000 traffic collisions, 1,600 of which involved injuries and more than 100,000 traffic citations have been issued. Excessive speed is the most commonly cited violation every year. Speeding and improper turns are the most common contributing factor to collisions, according to officials.

The project is expected to take about one year to complete.