LOS ANGELES, CA – Caltrans has secured $4 million in emergency funding to repair a crack believed to be about 360 feet long in the slope beneath Pacific Coast Highway near Laguna Beach, the agency said Tuesday.
The fissure, believed to be roughly 2 feet wide, is on the hillside under State Route 1 near Moro Beach in Crystal Cove State Park. Caltrans confirmed the funding Tuesday, Oct. 20, and said the work is focused on the Moro Beach slope where the crack formed.
The right southbound lane between Reef Point Drive and Irvine Cove Drive has been closed since the crack was noticed. The closure will stay in place until repairs are finished.
Right southbound lane closed since mid-October
The crack was first noticed around Oct. 12-13, after high tides and waves hit the slope. Caltrans closed the right southbound lane as a precaution.
Caltrans’ road information page for State Route 1 lists southbound traffic as reduced to one lane from Irvine Cove to Reef Point Drive in Laguna Beach due to emergency work.
The stretch lies outside Laguna Beach city limits and under Caltrans jurisdiction, a city spokesperson said. The agency has also been working with California State Parks, which manages Crystal Cove State Park.
Plan would move southbound traffic to a northbound lane
Caltrans spokesperson Christianne Smith said the agency expects approval to close both southbound lanes in the affected stretch. One northbound lane would then be converted to a southbound lane, which would leave one lane in each direction.
According to initial reports, the approvals are expected from California State Parks and the California Coastal Commission.
Smith asked the public to follow all detour and speed limit signs for the safety of travelers and workers.
Repairs planned in three stages
Laguna Beach City Manager Dave Kiff said Caltrans has its best people on the problem and that he has spoken directly with the Orange County district director. He described three stages of work.
The first is covering the crack with plastic tarps. The second is placing boulders, or rip-rap, at the base of the slope. The third is redesigning the slope for long-term retention.
According to initial reports, the plastic sheeting is meant to keep rainwater out of the slope, and the work at the base began Tuesday. The long-term stabilization plan is being developed with State Parks.
City says closure will last well beyond the next few days
The City of Laguna Beach said in mid-October that the safety of everyone traveling Pacific Coast Highway is its top priority. Communications Manager Laura Ezzell said, “We expect long-term impact. Stabilizing a coastal slope is complex.”
Ezzell said residents should plan for the lane closure to last well beyond the next few days.
Early in the response, Tom Perez of Laguna Beach Public Works said the city had no information on how deep the crack was or how far it extended.
Agency reviewing conditions with partners
A Caltrans spokesperson said the week of Oct. 12 that the agency was reviewing the situation with other agencies. “We are currently coordinating with our partners to evaluate current conditions,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said Caltrans was reviewing updated surveys to determine the most effective path forward. Smith later said the $4 million was secured to address the crack.
Recent high surf believed to have worsened erosion
Officials do not know exactly when the crack formed. It is believed that the recent high surf exacerbated the erosion that caused it.
A Pacific storm and a flood watch were forecast for Southern California this week.
District study covers erosion along this stretch of Route 1
Caltrans District 12 is also running a highway adaptation study for Bolsa Chica State Beach and Crystal Cove State Park. The study looks at protecting State Route 1 from sea-level rise, storm-driven flooding and erosion.
The Crystal Cove study area runs from 300 feet north of Moro Ridge Road to Moro Campground. The study timeline lists concept development in summer 2026 and a draft final study review in winter 2027.
The study is separate from the emergency repair of the crack.
No completion date announced for repairs
Caltrans has not announced when the repairs will be finished. The southbound lane reduction between Reef Point Drive and Irvine Cove Drive remains in place, and the approval to close both southbound lanes was still pending in the information available Wednesday.
