Pacific Coast Highway reopened in Malibu after power pole cracks

MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) -- A power pole cracked and fell over on Pacific Coast Highway at Latigo Beach Saturday, causing heavy traffic delays throughout Malibu.

The westbound lanes of PCH were closed for several hours at John Tyler Drive, and the eastbound lanes were closed at Latigo Canyon Road. One lane in each direction was opened at about 3:10 p.m. and all lanes were fully reopened shortly after 7 p.m.

The closest detour around the four-mile closure was a mountainous 30-mile-loop via Malibu Canyon Road, Mulholland Highway, Sierra Creek Road and Kanan-Dume Road.

About 976 homes and businesses were initially without power at 9:21 a.m., said Southern California Edison spokeswoman Susan Cox. Power was restored to all but 244 customers by mid-morning. No cause for the failure was immediately reported.

Southern California Edison and communications companies are in the process of upgrading wooden poles in Malibu as part of a settlement. State investigators allege a wooden pole blew over and started the 2007 Malibu Canyon Fire.

City News Service contributed to this report.