Malibu Canyon Road is a main thoroughfare to Malibu from Agoura/Calabasas area. This segment has over 20,000 trips per day and is often congested during the peak traffic periods. Located south of Malibu Canyon Road consists of the Malibu Knolls community where approximately 64 homes are located. Malibu Canyon Road is the only major roadway to access the neighborhood. During peak traffic periods, residents are often waiting for long periods to enter and exit the neighborhood. HRL Laboratories is a technical research center located at the northern boundary of Malibu. Pepperdine University is also along Malibu Canyon Road. Both contribute to the daily traffic volumes on Malibu Canyon Road.
During the peak traffic periods, the City experiences most of the volume commuting from the Santa Monica area and from the Agoura/Calabasas area. Westbound traffic from Santa Monica, specifically during peak periods, typically turns north on Webb Way and continues west on Civic Center Way. The traffic then continues to Malibu Canyon Road. This has been described as the “Z” traffic and often leads to traffic congestion from Civic Center Way to Piuma Road. Malibu Canyon Road also experiences an increase of traffic volumes during the summer months from visitors from the Agoura/Calabasas area traveling to the beach.
Malibu Canyon Road’s traffic is controlled by a series of traffic signals. The existing traffic signal at Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is owned and operated by Caltrans. This signal is currently being upgraded with the City’s PCH Signal Synchronization Project. This project will interconnect all the traffic signals on PCH from Topanga Canyon Road to John Tyler Drive. The City of Malibu owns and operates the existing traffic signals on Civic Center Way, including the signal at the intersection of Malibu Canyon Road and Civic Center way. The next signal is located at Piuma Road which is owned and operated by the County of Los Angeles.
The City is seeking consultants to evaluate the traffic on Malibu Canyon Road and develop strategies and projects that will improve safety on Malibu Canyon Road, specifically to resolve the traffic issues from the Malibu Knolls neighborhood. The traffic report shall also provide solutions to improve the accessibility of those residents in the Malibu Knolls neighborhood.
