The remains of a mobile home parking lot off the Pacific Coast Highway following the Palisades Fire in Malibu on Jan. 10. (Michael Nigro/Bloomberg News)
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An iconic Southern California stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway, closed to outsiders since January’s devastating Palisades Fire, will reopen May 23 in advance of the travel-heavy Memorial Day weekend.
Traffic on the roughly 11-mile beach-hugging stretch from Santa Monica through Malibu, which averages more than 40,000 vehicles daily during the summer travel season, has been restricted to residents and construction vehicles since the blaze that killed 12 and destroyed almost 7,000 structures.
“In California, we get stuff done, period,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement May 22. “We’re opening the PCH back up early, with more lanes before Angelenos hit the road this Memorial Day.”
The road closure has crushed business activity in Malibu, a fabled getaway for Hollywood celebrities and tech titans. The Palisades Fire destroyed more than 550 homes in the enclave, with about $1.59 billion in property lost. A survey found that 42% of Malibu businesses reported a loss of more than 75% of their profits since the blaze as residents and tourists abandoned the area.
🚨PCH TO REOPEN🚨@CAGovernor announced Pacific Coast Hwy will reopen to the public in Malibu & Pacific Palisades Friday, May 23 in time for Memorial Day holiday. Thank you for your patience during the recovery work for the #PalisadesFire More details at: https://t.co/OJvrPocynt pic.twitter.com/uT7NCJLQnv
— Caltrans District 7 (@CaltransDist7) May 22, 2025
The reopened highway, which is dogged by traffic jams in normal times, is likely to be slow going for years as debris clearance and reconstruction continue.
Checkpoints manned by National Guard troops will be replaced with other security. In Malibu, the city council voted May 21 to hire a private company to start regular, armed patrols to protect property, according to Matt Myerhoff, a city spokesman.
Access into the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles will remain restricted to residents, business owners, employees and contractors, with police controlling 16 checkpoints round-the-clock, Mayor Karen Bass’s office said in an emailed statement.
“The reopening of Pacific Coast Highway marks an important step forward in our recovery effort in the Palisades, which is on track to be the fastest in state history,” Bass said. “All of us have a shared goal — to ensure residents can safely and quickly rebuild and return to their community.”
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