Canyons vs. beaches

The debate over the California Incline in Santa Monica is heating up, according to The Times' Martha Groves. Critics of the massive construction project fear it will divert traffic onto narrow canyon roads:

Anticipated to run through 2010, the projects will require the shutdown of portions of PCH and the rerouting of massive amounts of traffic. Residents of the canyon and other portions of Pacific Palisades -- and even of Malibu farther west -- wail that the construction will send waves of frustrated commuters, including many from the San Fernando Valley who use PCH, onto their narrow and sometimes treacherous streets. In particular, the looming shutdown of the incline, used by an average of 15,000 vehicles a day, has sparked fears of epic backups and frayed nerves.

Comments

[PCH backup]

So what was going on last week, 10/1/2007, on northbound PCH between the McClure tunnel and Chautauqua? The AM traffic was horrendous up until Chautauqua. There were no apparent accidents or hazards. This added an additional 20min to my commute from westLA to Malibu. I wised up in the middle of the week and drove through Santa Monica/Pacific Palisades to Entrada. With the imminent closure of California Incline, I will be forced to take Sunset from Brentwood to the PCH.

The PM commute may be better since traffic will be forced to continue along the southbound PCH rather than stall traffic on the inside lane while waiting for the light onto California Incline.

[PCH backup]

So what was going on last week, 10/1/2007, on northbound PCH between the McClure tunnel and Chautauqua? The AM traffic was horrendous up until Chautauqua. There were no apparent accidents or hazards. This added an additional 20min to my commute from westLA to Malibu. I wised up in the middle of the week and drove through Santa Monica/Pacific Palisades to Entrada. With the imminent closure of California Incline, I will be forced to take Sunset from Brentwood to the PCH.

The PM commute may be better since traffic will be forced to continue along the southbound PCH rather than stall traffic on the inside lane while cars wait for the light onto California Incline.

[Larry Scholnick]

During the time that the California Incline is closed, we may find a truly surprising traffic result - traffic on CA-1/Palisades Beach Road/PCH will be better than it ordinarily is.

Why? Because the signal at CA-1 and the California Incline will remain green for CA-1 traffic at all times. This will more than make up for the right lane being closed during that construction project.

Admittedly, those who need to reach downtown Santa Monica from CA-1 will end up using either the CA-1/CA-2//Lincoln Blvd exit, or using the roads in Santa Monica Canyon (West Channel Road, Entrada Drive), but those who are using the California Incline to avoid congestion on the Santa Monica Freeway will either stay on the freeway or will bail out earlier onto Sunset Blvd or Chautauqua Blvd.