Caltrans shares discouraging update on Topanga Canyon

A large section of Topanga Canyon Boulevard will likely remain closed until the fall as Caltrans works to clear a massive landslide that buried the scenic road and continues to pose a safety risk, officials acknowledged on Thursday.

The slide occurred on March 9 during an intense rainstorm that caused flooding and mudslides in many areas of Southern California, including Los Angeles County. State Road 27 was immediately closed from Grand View Drive to Pacific Coast Highway.

Caltrans estimates that 9.2 million pounds of earth, or 4,600 tons, gave way just south of the town of Topanga, sending a wall of dirt, rocks and debris onto the road. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

As of Thursday, no progress had been made in clearing the slide, and Caltrans admits that crews are facing several major hurdles.

“Water continues to seep out from underneath the dirt, mud and rocks, indicating the mass may move at a given moment,” Caltrans spokesperson Jim Medina told KTLA 5 News. “A rainstorm over this past weekend further saturated the unstable hillside.”

Because of the instability, Medina said, crews need to remove material from the top down since clearing the “toe” – as it’s known – will only bring down more earth and boulders.

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Until the road reopens, drivers are urged to take the 101 Freeway into the San Fernando Valley as an alternate route. Malibu Canyon Road is another option.

Topanga Canyon is no stranger to mudslides and major landslides. A slide in the 1940s also buried the road for an extended period. Medina said the March 9 slide was twice as large as that one.

The public can submit questions to Caltrans by email at Topanga@dot.ca.gov.

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