Ocean waves chew away at PCH east and west of Malibu Play

Emergency repairs were addressed by Caltrans on Pacific Coast Highway both inside and to the west of Malibu. Ocean waves are still eating away right up to the edge of traffic lanes.

Wednesday, across the street from the main Malibu fire station, Station 70, big rocks were being dumped into a gaping hole. This was on PCH at Carbon Canyon Road. The rocks are intended to break up waves as they push ashore through a burned-out lot. The sidewalk has given way already, but the pavement on PCH has not yet been disturbed. The sidewalk is gone at Carbon Canyon. Further to the east, long-term work continues to protect PCH at the La Tuna Beach washout — a project that began last summer.

West of Malibu, two sections of PCH have suffered damage over the last three days. Nine miles west of Trancas, near Deer Creek Road, churning surf has eaten a big hole into the 40-foot-high cliff that supports the roadway. Caltrans Wednesday dumped more boulders into the ocean and put up cones next to the sudden cliff that develops next to the fog line, straight down to the water 40 feet below. But it's only cones — no other protective devices.

A few miles west of there, in the giant sand dune area, huge waves smashed across the highway Sunday and Monday. Wednesday, we could see that the side of the roadway heading toward Malibu is completely deteriorated. The eastbound travel lane is okay now, but the shoulder — where bicycles travel and where cars park — is completely chewed up. Again, only traffic cones are out there. We've asked Caltrans for more information about all these spots, but we have not received a reply.