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4.2.1 Description of System

The following section includes a brief description of circulation network found within the Malibu planning area. More detailed descriptions are contained in the Circulation and Infrastructure Background and Opportunities and Constraints Reports prepared for the City as part of the General Plan program.

The hierarchy of streets and highways in Malibu range from local streets to state highways. There are four classifications which summarize the existing roadway network in the City of Malibu: Major Arterials, Minor Arterials, Collectors, and Locals.

              Modified Major Arterial: Major roadways providing access from rural to urban areas and access to freeways. A typical major arterial consists of a 100-foot right-of-way with six lanes and controlled access, divided by a raised or striped median. Major arterials, serving as an intercity or community facility are expected to carry the majority of traffic between Malibu, adjacent communities, and the freeway system (see Figure CI-1). Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) would typically be designated a major arterial. However, given topographical and safety constraints, PCH in Malibu is limited to four lanes and is designated as a modified major arterial.

              Minor Arterial: Streets providing through service to commercial areas and between cities and/or providing access to highways and freeways. This roadway classification consists of an 80-foot right-of-way with four lanes, typically with a raised or painted median. Minor arterials, serving as a community facility, carry traffic through the community and collect traffic from collector roads.

              Collector: Streets that collect traffic from local streets within residential areas. Collectors are typically characterized by both two lane and four lane undivided roadways with 64-foot rights-of-way. Collectors within this classification move moderate volumes of traffic through the community and serve as routes for locally generated traffic to connect to major and minor arterials. They serve as access routes for local residents to reach activity areas in the city and may also provide direct access to commercial properties.

              Local: Streets whose primary purpose is to provide access to individual properties. Locals are two-lane, undivided roadways with frequent driveway access and 48- to 58-foot rights-of-way, although many of the City’s canyon access roads have less right-of-way. These roads are intended to provide access to adjacent residential land uses and to feed traffic to collectors and arterials.

The existing roadway network in the City of Malibu and its vicinity is shown on Figure 4-1. The arterial network in Malibu consists of Pacific Coast Highway, a major four-lane state highway running the length of the City, and winding, mountainous, two-lane roadways with sharp turns, steep grades, and poor sight distance.

The following is a description of the existing roadway network serving the City of Malibu.

              Santa Monica Freeway (1-10) is a six-lane east-west freeway providing access to downtown Los Angeles. The freeway ties into the San Diego freeway (I-405) and, further to the east, the Harbor Freeway (I-110) and a chain of freeways in the vicinity of downtown Los Angeles. Near the coast, the Santa Monica freeway and State Highway 1 - Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) merge, serving the city as a four-lane roadway. The Santa Monica Freeway carries about 143,000 vehicles per day (Source: Caltrans, 1990) at its junction with PCH. Santa Monica Freeway is a designated route within the Congestion Management Program for Los Angeles County’s roadway system.

              Ventura Freeway (US 101) is an eight-lane east-west freeway north of the City of Malibu. It provides access to Ventura County to the west and San Fernando Valley and the Los Angeles metropolitan area to the east. Interchanges at Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Las Virgenes Road (Malibu Canyon Road) and Kanan Road provide access to and from the City of Malibu. The Ventura Freeway carries approximately 187,000 and 149,000 vehicles per day (Source: Caltrans, 1990) at its junctions with Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Las Virgenes Road, respectively.

              Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) (State Route 1) is a four-lane state highway traversing the city from east to west along the Pacific Coast. The right-of-way includes an intermittent center turning lane. Within the city, PCH is about 25 miles long with a posted speed limit between 45 and 55 miles per hour. PCH is the only major arterial within the city. It serves mostly commuters during the weekday peak hours. In the summer months, it serves as an access route to the beaches along the coast. Peak periods for visitor traffic are on weekends and coincidental with the weekday afternoon commuter peak period. PCH has an average daily traffic level varying between 18,000 vehicles per day at its junction with Decker Canyon Road and 52,000 vehicles per day (Source: Caltrans, 1990) at its junction with Cross Creek Road. PCH carries approximately 47,000 vehicles per day (Source: Caltrans, 1990) at its junction with Las Flores Canyon Road. PCH also carries approximately 56,000 vehicles per day (Source: Caltrans, 1990) at its junction with Topanga Canyon Road. In the peak months, PCH carries approximately 57,000 vehicles per day in the vicinity of Cross Creek Road (Source: Caltrans, 1990). Left-turn lanes are provided at major intersections, and an intermittent center lane serves as a turn lane for developments along the highway. PCH is a designated bicycle route. Trucks over three axles are not permitted on PCH except for local delivery. PCH is a designated route within the Congestion Management Plan for Los Angeles County’s roadway system.

              Topanga Canyon Road (State Route 27) is a two-lane roadway just outside the eastern city border. Topanga Canyon Road starts at PCH and extends north to the San Fernando Valley, thus providing regional access to a predominantly residential neighborhood just outside the City of Malibu. It interchanges with the Ventura Freeway (Hwy 101), and further north with Highway 118. At Pacific Coast Highway, Topanga Canyon Road is signalized and left-turn lanes are provided. Near PCH, Topanga has an average daily traffic (ADT) of about 14,000 vehicles (Source: Caltrans, 1990). North of Malibu, in the Woodland Hills area, Topanga becomes a four-lane arterial carrying about 30,000 vehicles per day (Source: Caltrans, 1990) near the Ventura Freeway. The posted speed limit is 35 mph. Topanga Canyon Road is a designated route within the Congestion Management Plan for the Los Angeles County roadway system.

              Malibu Canyon Road (County Highway N1) is a north-south arterial that extends from PCH to Highway 101 across the Santa Monica Mountains. Malibu Canyon Road has generally one lane in each direction. It is a four-lane roadway between PCH and Civic Center Way. It provides access to Pepperdine University, Malibu Creek State Park located just north of the City, and to Hughes Research Center, just inside the City Limits. At its intersections with Pacific Coast Highway and Civic Center Way, Malibu Canyon Road is signalized. Near Mulholland Highway, Malibu Canyon becomes Las Virgenes Road, which interchanges with the Ventura Freeway. It provides regional access to communities south of the Ventura Freeway including Soka University. It is estimated that Malibu Canyon Road carries about 9,400 vehicles per day near PCH (Source: Los Angeles County Public Works, 1991) on a typical weekday. Also, Malibu Canyon Road is estimated to carry 19,600 vehicles per day north of Civic Center Way (Source: Los Angeles County Public Works, 1991). Malibu Canyon Road serves both local and through trips. Through trips are those trips which have both origin and destination outside the City of Malibu. A significant portion of through trips access western portions of Los Angeles County outside Malibu from the areas around the Highway 101 corridor through the various canyon roads like Malibu Canyon Road. This is also referred to as Z-traffic. Further, a significant number of Z-trips access PCH from Malibu Canyon Road via Civic Center Way, thence Webb Way.

              Corral Canyon Road is a two-lane north-south arterial connecting the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, located north of the city, with Dan Blocker State Beach and Solstice Canyon Park. Further north, Corral Canyon Road provides access to Malibu Creek State Park, where it ends. Corral Canyon Road carries approximately 120 vehicles during the A.M. Peak Hour (Source: Los Angeles County Public Works, 1991).

              Latigo Canyon Road is a two-lane roadway oriented in the southeast/northwest direction. It begins at Pacific Coast Highway and goes northwest across the Santa Monica Mountains, meeting Kanan Dume Road near the intersection at Mulholland Highway. This roadway serves mostly residents of Latigo Canyon. The posted speed limit varies from 10 to 20 miles per hour. It is estimated that Latigo Canyon Road carries about an average daily traffic volume of approximately 1,000 vehicles per day north of Pacific Coast Highway, and about 300 vehicles per day near Kanan Dume Road (Source: Los Angeles County Public Works, 1991).

              Kanan Dume Road (County Highway N9) is a four-lane highway extending from PCH in the south to Ventura Freeway in the north. It provides on/off ramps to the Ventura Freeway. It also provides regional access across the Santa Monica Mountains into the Malibu area. Kanan Dume Road connects Agoura with Malibu. It provides access to the beach. It becomes Kanan Road in the Seminole Hot Springs area north of Mulholland Highway. Within the City limits, Kanan Dume Road is a City road and not a County road. In the vicinity of PCH, Kanan Dume Road has four travel lanes. The intersection of Kanan Dume Road and PCH is signalized, and left-turn lanes are provided. A runaway vehicle escape median (Truck Arrestor) is provided on Kanan Dume Road at PCH. Vehicles of weight over 8,000 lbs. or over two axles are not allowed on Kanan Dume Road. Kanan Dume Road carries approximately 500 vehicles north of PCH during the A.M. Peak Hour (Source: City of Malibu, Traffic Counts 1992). Kanan Dume Road serves both local and through trips (“Z-traffic”). South of Latigo Canyon Road, Kanan Dume Road carries an average daily traffic volume of approximately 5,400 vehicles per day (Source: Los Angeles County Public Works, 1991).

              Decker Road (State Route 23) is a two-lane winding undivided roadway extending from Pacific Coast Highway to Mulholland Highway just north of the city limit. Decker Road merges with Mulholland Highway just north of its intersection with Lechusa Road. At Pacific Coast Highway, Decker Road is stop-controlled, and has an ADT of approximately 1,200 vehicles (Source: Caltrans, 1990). Decker Road is a designated scenic route. It is also a designated route within the Congestion Management Plan for Los Angeles County’s roadway system.

              Encinal Canyon Road is a north-south, two-lane roadway providing a connection between PCH and Mulholland Highway. Near Decker Road, Encinal meets Lechusa Road, which meets Decker Road, and continues east to Saddle Rock where it merges with Mulholland Highway. Encinal Canyon Road is stop-controlled at PCH. It is estimated from counts that Encinal Canyon Road carries about 1,200 vehicles per day near PCH (Source: Los Angeles County Public Works, 1991).

              Mulholland Highway is a two-lane arterial which extends southeast from PCH to Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Mulholland Highway starts as a north-south route just west of the city limit, then merges with Decker Road and Encinal Canyon Road further east, and continues east to Calabasas Highlands. At PCH, Mulholland Highway is stop-controlled. It connects major areas of state and local parks. Mulholland Highway is a designated scenic route.

              Cross Creek Road is a two-lane roadway connecting various developments in the Malibu Civic Center area to Malibu Canyon Road via Civic Center Way and to Pacific Coast Highway. The Cross Creek Road intersection with PCH is signalized. Cross Creek Road is a public roadway for a two block length serving commercial developments by PCH and a private road serving the residential area of Sierra Retreat. In the vicinity of PCH, Cross Creek Road is estimated to carry 9,300 vehicles per day (Source: Los Angeles County Public Works, 1991).

              Las Flores Canyon Road is a winding, two-lane roadway that intersects PCH in Malibu and Rambla Pacifica north of the city limits. The Rambla Pacifica and Las Flores Canyon Road intersections with PCH are both signalized, and operate with a single signal controller. North of PCH, Las Flores Canyon Road carries approximately 3,000 vehicles per day (Source: Los Angeles County Public Works, 1991). At this time, Las Flores Canyon also carries traffic from Rambla Pacifica neighborhood since Rambla Pacifica was closed due to slide activity.

              Civic Center Way is an east-west two-lane undivided roadway that connects Malibu Canyon Road and Cross Creek Road. It serves Malibu Civic Center traffic as well as Z-traffic traveling to and from Malibu Canyon Road to PCH. It intersects with Malibu Canyon Road at a signalized intersection. It extends further to the east through Stuart Ranch Road/Webb Way to Cross Creek Road. The posted speed limit is 40 mph except for a short segment from Vista Pacifica Street to Malibu Canyon Road where the speed limit is 25 mph in the school zone only.

              Trancas Canyon Road is a winding, two-lane undivided, mountainous roadway that extends north from Pacific Coast Highway to Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area. It intersects with PCH at a signalized intersection. It serves a primarily residential area.