Repairs to the fissure in the bluffs are caused traffic diversions and delays on the heavily traveled stretch between PCH and the 10 Freeway throughout the morning commute.
"Recently, the city discovered an unstable portion of the Santa Monica Bluffs located just above the Pacific Coast Highway between the California Incline and Moomat Ahiko Way," said Selim Eren, the city's principal engineer. "In order to address the land instability and to ensure safety, the city is proactively performing an emergency removal of the portion identified."
City officials were alerted to the potentially dangerous instability by Suzanne Yankovic, wife of musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, when she posted about it on social media.
Officials believe the erosion and fissure in the bluff was likely caused by heavy rains this past winter.
"We've been down here for 50 years, so we've seen the cliffs evolve," said Kris Schwengel, who lives nearby. "There was a concerning finger sticking up there, and we like them being proactive about it -- rather than it falling on a Sunday afternoon."
Construction crews began moving heavy equipment onto PCH early Wednesday morning to begin removal of the damaged portion of the bluffs. A heavy-duty crane removed the unstable portion of the bluff in less than 15 minutes.
Bluff repair to prompt partial closure of PCH, 10 Freeway in Santa Monica
The bluff removal required a temporary early-morning closure of all lanes of northbound PCH and in connection westbound 10 Freeway, in addition to a morning closure of the Moomat Ahiko Way on-ramp from Ocean Avenue to PCH, city officials said.
Southbound PCH and the eastbound 10 Freeway will both remain open during construction.
City News Service contributed to this report.