Caltrans crews will close a 3.6-mile stretch of Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Pacific Coast Highway and Grand View Drive at 9 p.m. Tuesday evening in anticipation of more rain and the possibility of mud and debris flows.
The stretch of highway, also known as state Route 27, is an active work zone for ongoing recovery efforts from last year’s Palisades Fire and winter storms. It is typically closed to the public from midnight to 5 a.m. daily.
Crews will monitor road conditions to reopen the highway as soon as it is safe to do so, the agency said. Given the forecast, crews are expecting to reopen Wednesday unless the storm brings significant impacts.
The National Weather Service is predicting a half-inch to an inch of rain overnight, with peak rates of 0.2-0.4 inches per hour. Caltrans made the decision due to expected rainfall totals being above the threshold for potential debris flow, which is 0.25 inches of rain per hour in this area.
Crews were preparing for the rain by moving equipment, placing k-rail and sandbags and stabilizing current retaining wall and other project work on the road, as well as on Pacific Coast Highway between Sunset Boulevard and Carbon Beach Terrace.