Parts of Pacific Coast Highway closed to install nets along rock face

MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) -- Parts of the Pacific Coast Highway will be closed until Thursday so road crews can install netting along the rock face.

Closures will occur at various times between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday from Las Posas Road to La Jolla Canyon in Point Mugu State Park.

The netting will help prevent rocks from falling off steep slopes onto the highway.

"We do have a lot of protection here, but we want to do more with the rock-fencing, so a rock doesn't tumble, get that velocity and fall onto the highway," said Patrick Chandler with Caltrans.

The nets weigh 3,000 pounds each and span about 150-by-12 feet. They were dangled from helicopters and lowered to rock climbers to secure them into place.

Erosion has always been a naturally occurring problem along the PCH bluffs, but the damage from the Springs Fire in 2013 has accelerated the problem.

"Then, with the following drought, we never had that vegetation come back, and then we had really heavy rains in December last year," Chandler said. "So with all that together, we had a lot of mud and a lot of washouts on the seaside here as well."

Approximately 11,000 cars travel this stretch of PCH every day. Motorists and cyclists should expect delays of up to 30 minutes.