Council asks Caltrans for traffic signal at Malibu Seafood Play

Back in 2019, Caltrans approached the city of Malibu with a proposal to install a traffic light on Pacific Coast Highway in front of Malibu Seafood, where hundreds of people cross between the ocean, roadside parking, and the popular fish shop.

Monday night, the current City Council asked their staff to ask Metro and Caltrans can the now install a traffic light at exactly the same location?

Mayor Bruce Silverstein said he wants a full green-yellow-red signal cycle rather than a HAWK-style light activated only when a pedestrian pushes a button. That would mean regular interruptions to the busy traffic flow.

Other council members raised the idea of a fence in the median to force pedestrians to cross only at the signal.

Silverstein suggested a five-foot transparent fence — something like plexiglass — so the view isn't blocked but people can't cross mid-highway.

Other council members were skeptical of a plexiglass wall but asked staff to come up with ways to stop what one described as pedestrian whack-a-mole as people zigzag between parked cars, the restaurant, trails and the ocean.

Councilmember Marianne Riggins was skeptical overall, saying even an underpass wouldn't stop people from crossing on the road without a major center barrier.

The council was unanimous that a proposed pedestrian tunnel at the bottom of Corral Creek would not work — it would flood from the canyon and from waves, and homeless people would hang out in it.

Councilmember Haylynn Conrad said the state needs to figure out how to make a crossing work with heavy traffic coming down the hill from Puerco Canyon Road, noting that other coastal cities have managed safe crossings on scenic highways with curves and grades. Councilmember Steve Uhring said traffic engineers need to solve the Puerco grade issue and provide a safety conclusion.

Councilmember Doug Stewart urged action: "It's now 11 years since this was brought up and we're lucky nobody's been killed there. It would benefit us all to have a better way to get people across. Do it as cheaply as we can that works, and this will work."

The council's unanimous direction: have traffic engineers come up with a plan — probably a traffic light and probably a fence down the middle of the street — and bring it back for a decision before returning to Caltrans for approval.