Geologists and city engineers are taking urgent action to remove a crumbling section of the Santa Monica Bluff that poses a significant risk to the iconic Pacific Coast Highway. Residents and officials alike are concerned about the potential damage it could cause.
The issue came to the attention of authorities after a video showing a massive fissure in the bluff was forwarded to them two weeks ago. The video revealed that a part of the cliff was dangerously close to collapsing onto the Pacific Coast Highway. Resident Sean James expressed his concerns, stating, “You don’t have much time on that freeway. If something were to fall down, there’s nowhere to go.”
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors viewed the video and immediately ordered Santa Monica to investigate the unstable mound of dirt. Santa Monica Public Works director Rick Valte explained, “We can’t really pinpoint whether that will break off in a year, in 10 years, in a month or tomorrow. We’re not willing to wait to find out.”
Starting from Tuesday night, crews will use a crane to carefully remove the 4,000 cubic feet of dirt that makes up the unstable portion of the bluff. Valte estimated that it would require approximately 15 dump trucks to haul it away. The goal is to remove the weak spot without disturbing the rest of the bluffs.
Valte attributed the instability of the bluff to the exceptionally wet winter season. He explained, “We’ve had an exceptionally wet winter season, and we’ve noticed that quite a bit of the bluff has sloughed off during the very wet winter season.”
In June, the city hired a consultant to analyze the bluffs and identify problematic areas due to the historic storms that affected Southern California. Valte expressed gratitude for the residents’ vigilance, stating, “We are grateful for the residents’ keen eyes that could help officials avoid a tragedy like the Rancho Palos Verdes landslide.”
The removal process will result in increased traffic, as large portions of the area will be closed. For a complete list of street closures, residents can refer to the provided link.
The KCAL News Staff contributed to this report.