Caltrans to begin $69 million PCH repaving in western Malibu Play

Caltrans announced late Friday afternoon it is on schedule to start the first construction of paving and road rehabilitation on Pacific Coast Highway in western Malibu.

Work will start in two weeks, from Malibu Creek Bridge all the way out to the county line near Neptune's Net. This is a big project — it'll cost $69 million and take four years to complete.

The eastern part of PCH, from Malibu Creek down to the tunnel in Santa Monica, will start next year. The eastern part will take three and a half years to complete and will cost $85 million, on top of the $69 million for western Malibu.

Both projects are part of the regular repaving and road maintenance program from Caltrans, and they are not the same as the PCH safety project, a separate list of projects Caltrans is drawing up.

On the western half of the city, construction will start in two weeks, and all the work will be daytime, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. At least one lane will be kept open each way in all construction zones at all times, and construction will be put on hold during the Olympic Games.

Major changes coming during the repaving will include painted bike lanes and narrower traffic lanes on both sides of the highway from Santa Monica out to Ventura County.

A big change is coming in Pacific Palisades: a crosswalk will be installed at the Entrada Drive traffic light. It will allow pedestrians in wheelchairs to cross PCH without using the steps on the 100-year-old tunnels that go beneath the highway.

The state legislature requires Caltrans to include bike lanes, crosswalks, and other non-vehicle features on all repaving projects in California cities.