Pacific Coast Highway/State Route 1 Palisades Fire Emergency Repairs

Last updated: March 2, 2026

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CURRENT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ON PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY 

The January 2025 wildfires were some of the most destructive in the Los Angeles area's history, and the state's highway system was one of many that was impacted. The Palisades Fire and subsequent winter storms damaged numerous state-owned assets on the iconic State Route 1/Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) between Santa Monica and Malibu. The damage also delayed or paused other projects on PCH between Will Rogers State Beach in Santa Monica to Point Dume State Beach in Malibu. 

This website contains information about current work on PCH from Santa Monica to Point Dume, including Caltrans Emergency Director's Order projects from the Palisades Fire as well as previous fire and storm damage, and other Caltrans projects that have since resumed work. 

Palisades Fire Emergency Work Zone current conditions: 

• McClure Tunnel to Temescal Canyon Road: No more cones/restrictions; returned to 45 mph speed limit
• Temescal Canyon Road to Sunset Boulevard: Reduced cones and signage, 35 mph speed limit
• Sunset Boulevard to Carbon Beach Terrace: Remains an active work zone, subject to single-lane closures and 25 mph speed limit still in place

A weekly list of lane closures is updated on the Palisades Fire Emergency Repairs webpage.

Timelines and costs are subject to change due to weather or operational conditions. 

Active Palisades Fire emergency projects

Crews are actively working on at least six Emergency Director's Orders in the Palisades Fire Recovery Work Zone on PCH, which is roughly between Sunset Boulevard to Temescal Canyon Road, to restore the highway, prevent long-term damage and fortify PCH from future storm and fire damage. They are noted in red on the above map.

Between January and April 2025, most work at all locations involved clearing debris from fire and storm damage, assessing damages and making a plan for repairs and recovery efforts. Repair and restoration work started at most locations around May and June 2025.

Catchment wall repair  

Crews removed and are currently replacing a fire-damaged catchment wall on the slope-side of PCH at this location, which is a little less than a half-mile south of Big Rock Drive. 

The work to replace the 460-foot-long catchment wall involves installing new steel beams and a drainage system as well as a concrete barrier. 
The project also included temporary slope protection measures post-fires and storms, such as installing k-rail and steel mesh, before the repairs could be completed. 

Total cost: $17.2 million
Estimated completion: March 2026 

Catchment wall in January 2025.

Catchment wall in January 2026.

 Repair retaining wall near Getty Villa 

Crews are reconstructing a fire-damaged retaining wall and drainage system just south of Getty Villa Drive. Current work involves installing and painting wall panels to finish the 710-foot wall. Crews will also place a fire-protective coating after the wall is installed. 

The project included temporary measures immediately following the Palisades Fire and storms to protect the slope and highway from future damage, such as installing steel plates to control debris flow and rockfall, installing temporary k-rail to protect nearby homes and properties and protecting drainage inlets. 

Total cost: $10 million
Estimated completion: Summer 2026

Retaining wall near Getty Villa in January 2025.

Retaining wall near Getty Villa in January 2026.

Repair fire-damaged assets on PCH – south

This project covers a range of fire- and storm-related recovery efforts on about five miles of PCH from just south of the California Incline in Santa Monica to Topanga Creek. It also accounts for ongoing traffic control and cleanup during past and future rainstorms until the emergency work is complete.  

Remaining work entails: 

• Removing and replacing damaged guardrail
• Landslide analysis and study in Castellammare area 
• Repairing storm and fire damage on a retaining wall near Porto Marina Way
• Culvert and inlet cleanup from past and future storms

Completed work includes: 

• Repaired and reconstructed fire-damaged slopes just south of Topanga Canyon Boulevard  
• Cleaned and inspected drainage systems for damage 
• Removed and replaced fire-damaged road signs
• Cleared debris and materials from rainstorms and fire damage 

Total cost: At least $8.4 million 
Estimated completion: Summer 2026

Repair fire-damaged assets on PCH – north

This project covers a range of fire- and storm-related recovery efforts on about 4.5 miles of PCH from just south of Tuna Canyon Road to just north of Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu. It also accounts for ongoing traffic control and cleanup during past and future rainstorms until the emergency work is complete.

Remaining work entails: 

• Repairing and replacing damaged guardrail 
• Repairing and cleaning drainage systems
• Reconstructing the headwall of Miramar channel south of Big Rock Drive

Completed work includes: 

• Removed fire-damaged guardrail
• Removed and replaced fire-damaged road signs 

Recovery and restoration work was also completed along the channels at the listed areas:

Miramar channel (about a quarter mile south of Big Rock Drive)

• Redid channel, improved culvert at inlet and entrance on slope-side of PCH
• Upgraded and repaired the system

Tuna Canyon Road  

• Removed and replaced damaged debris rack with a larger, more durable one
• Rearranged riprap for culvert protection
• Installed new bollards, which are circular steel beams that prevent large debris from entering the channel

Pena Road

• Removed damaged concrete and replaced the bottom of the channel with new concrete
• Replaced damaged side panels 
• Installed bollards at the top of the stream to prevent large rocks and debris from passing through the stream

Las Flores Canyon

• Rebuilt the slope using a geogrid layer to reinforce stability
• Rebuilt a damaged concrete ditch
• Sprayed hydroseeding to help regrow vegetation on the slope 

Big Rock Drive

• Installed a debris flow net at Big Rock channel 

Total cost:  At least $6.8 million
Estimated completion: Most work will be complete by summer 2026, though repairing and replacing damaged drainage systems may take longer.

Sea wall repair

Crews are repairing fire damage to a sea wall on PCH from just north of Pena Road to just south of Las Flores Canyon Road. The work involves removing debris and bad concrete, reinforcing the damaged rebars and placing shotcrete, a fire-protective coating, on the face of the wall that is on state-owned property. 

Total cost: $9 million
Estimated completion: TBD

Las Flores Creek cleanup

Crews are cleaning the area upstream, downstream and under the bridge for sediment build up. Work also includes restoring hydraulic capacity to reduce the risk of overtopping and roadway flooding during future storm events. 

Total cost: $2.6 million
Estimated completion: Summer 2026

Las Flores Maintenance Station Repairs

The roughly 2,250-square-foot equipment building at the Caltrans-owned Las Flores Maintenance Station, along with some equipment and storage sheds, was burned in the Palisades Fire. The station is located at 3503 Las Flores Canyon Road. 

This project includes: 

• Removing the damaged equipment shop and ancillary equipment
• Demolishing the damaged equipment shop
• Rebuilding the equipment shop
• Removing and replacing the fuel island and fuel tank
• Grading the site
• Repairing and replacing storage sheds
• Constructing a new retaining wall behind the building

Crews have demolished the current equipment shop and fuel island. 

Total cost: $14.8 million
Estimated completion: Spring 2028

Palisades Fire Emergency projects, completed

These are projects related to emergency response from the immediate aftermath of the Palisades Fire and traffic control until the highway reopened to the public in May 2025. They are not listed on the above map.

Protecting assets post-fire and clearing debris 

This emergency project included placing k-rail and sandbags to protect homes and drainage inlets and clearing the highway from storm damage, debris flows and mudslides on about 9 miles of PCH from Entrada Drive in Pacific Palisades to north of Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu. 

Total cost: $10.5 million

Traffic control post-fire and storms

When PCH was closed to the public between January and May 22, 2025, these projects accounted for traffic control to manage checkpoints and direct traffic between the McClure Tunnel in Santa Monica and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu. 

Total cost: $30.3 million 

The PCH-Big Rock intersection is shown in January 2025.

Active emergency projects from previous fires and storms

These Caltrans projects had been in progress and were delayed by the 2025 Palisades Fire cleanup and recovery work. They are noted in yellow on the above map.

Early 2023 landslide cleanup and drainage repairs

Crews removed landslide damage as well as debris and other loose materials, repaired eroded slopes and slope drapery protection systems, repaired damaged shoulder and cleaned drainage systems between Temescal Canyon Road and just north of Pena Canyon Road.

As of February 2026, the main work that remains is replacing a drainage inlet and cleaning drainage systems after recent rain events.

Total cost: $6 million
Estimated completion: May 2026

Repairing and replacing a secant wall

The goal for this project is to permanently repair eroded slopes from 2015-16 winter storm damage, and to prevent erosion and flooding by building a secant pile wall just south of Big Rock Drive.

A secant pile wall consists of overlapping piles to form structural or cutoff walls. Primary piles are “secanted” by secondary piles, or intersecting reinforced concrete piles.

Current remaining work includes drilling the piles and finishing the wall.

Total cost: $17.4 million
Estimated completion: Fall 2026

Repair slope damaged by high surf at Ratner Beach

Crews will be building rock slope protection to reinforce the eroded slope, reconstruct the embankment with geogrid (geosynthetic reinforcement) and reconstruct damaged pavement near Ratner Beach in Malibu.

The original damage resulted from early 2023 winter storms that damaged and threatened the roadway. 

Total cost: TBD
Estimated completion: End of 2026

Repairs from Franklin Fire

This work involves repairing damaged slopes, drainage systems and channels and clearing fire debris and replacing damaged signs on PCH from just south of Sweetwater Canyon Drive to just north of Puerco Canyon Road due to damage from the December 2024 Franklin Fire.

Total cost: $2.9 million
Estimated completion: Summer 2027

Other active projects 

These are projects that had been ongoing and stalled due to fires and storms. 

Solstice Creek Steelhead Trout Passage  

The main goal of this project is to replace the culvert at Solstice Creek with a bridge to provide access for steelhead trout to reach habitat upstream of the culverts. Additionally, crews are repairing damaged and defective culverts between south of Temescal Canyon Road to the Ventura County line. 

More information about this project is on the PCH Drainage Improvement and Fish Passage project page.

Total cost: $57.9 million 
Estimated completion: Fall 2029. The bridge is expected to be completed by fall 2026.

The Palisades Fire began the morning of Jan. 7, 2025. Caltrans crews responded immediately when it was safe to do so, assisting California Highway Patrol with traffic control and helping clear highways of debris.

Crews began recovery work on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, along Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) between the McClure Tunnel in Santa Monica and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu. 

PCH, along with the nearby Las Flores Maintenance Station and State Route 27/Topanga Canyon Boulevard, saw significant fire damage, which was compounded by winter storms in February and March 2025. The scarred hillsides saw mudslides and debris flows that further damaged drainage systems and threatened slope stability.

The 8.5-mile stretch of highway between Chautauqua Boulevard in Los Angeles to Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu remained closed to all but local, state, regional and national emergency responders and recovery workers. In mid-March 2025, it reopened with checkpoints to utility workers, business owners, school buses and residents of the Palisades Fire burn scar area. 

This stretch of PCH reopened for public use with traffic controls on May 23.

As part of the reopening of PCH to the public, Caltrans implemented traffic control measures for the safety of motorists, crews, and first responders as it is an active work zone. Those were shortened but remain in place as of February 2026 between Sunset Boulevard and Carbon Beach Terrace. 

Photos of Fire Burn Area