Hailing the project as a major advancement in improving safety on Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu officials will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony next month to mark the completion of an effort to synchronize a dozen traffic signals along the notoriously hazardous roadway.
According to the city, the PCH Signal Synchronization Project creates a “Smart Corridor” by technologically linking 12 traffic signals between Topanga Canyon Boulevard and John Tyler Drive, allowing traffic control experts to remotely adjust the timing of the lights in real time. The project will allow the Caltrans Traffic Management Center “to improve traffic flow and minimize delays at signalized intersections, regulate speeds and enhance safety for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.”
“This innovative system leverages cutting-edge technology and collaborative traffic safety planning to fulfill the city’s commitment to making PCH safer,” Malibu Mayor Marianne Riggins said in a statement. “The Signal Synchronization Project is about protecting the lives of the thousands of residents, pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists who use our Main Street every day.”
The $19.1 million project is part of a larger overall effort to boost safety on PCH through Malibu, where numerous fatal crashes have occurred in recent years, including a 2023 wreck that killed four Pepperdine University students who were walking along the roadway.
Other safety elements that have been implemented or are in the process of being implemented included the installation of automated speeding-citation cameras, stepped up California Highway Patrol presence, installation of temporary roundabouts and a public education campaign.
The city will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the traffic synchronization project at 10 a.m. Feb. 4 at PCH and Webb Way.