L.A. Metro will operate closed-door service on Line 134, which travels through Malibu to Santa Monica, starting Friday, Feb. 28. Service has been suspended since Jan. 7, when the Palisades Fire ignited and caused major damage in the area followed by mudslides and debris flow in the area following the recent rain.
“Resuming service on Line 134 is a crucial step toward supporting the residents and commuters who depend on this route from Malibu to Santa Monica," said Metro Board Member and LA County Third District Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. "While there are still challenges ahead, we know how critical reliable transit service is to our communities. We are doing everything we can to safely serve this critical need; however, this is not yet operations as usual. We are committed to restoring essential connectivity and getting back to normal service as quickly as recovery conditions allow."
Line 134 will serve stops on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) at the Malibu Pier, Cross Creek Rd, Civic Center Way and Malibu Canyon Rd between Malibu and Trancas Canyon Road. The route will also serve stops in Santa Monica between Downtown Santa Monica E Line Station and Ocean Av / Colorado Av in Santa Monica.
“Across the county, hundreds of thousands of people count on Metro to get to work, to school, to family, and everything in between,” said Metro Board Chair and LA County Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn. “It is important that as we recover from these fires that we get this service back up and running as soon as possible for our riders that need it.”
Metro Line 134 buses will not open the bus doors for bus stops on PCH through the approximate 10-mile work zone between PCH/Temescal Canyon Rd and PCH/Rambla Vista near the Carbon Beach Terrace checkpoint. There will be no service to bus stops located within the work zone, nor will courtesy stops be available.
“Restoring public transportation access to Malibu is a critical step in our community’s recovery,” said Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart. “This modified service strikes a careful balance of safety and ensuring residents, workers, and business patrons have a safe and reliable way to travel through the area. We are grateful for LA Metro’s partnership. While the impact of the Palisades Fire remains, this marks an important milestone in reconnecting our city and supporting those who depend on public transit. For those who haven’t considered public transportation before, this is a great opportunity to utilize LA Metro as a way to pass through the checkpoints and reduce congestion on our roads.”
Delays are expected due to one lane each direction traffic flows and a 25-mph speed limit in the work zone. Schedules will be reviewed and may be adjusted at a future date based on experience.
“January’s wildfires devastated the L.A. area and disrupted the connectivity of communities in and around the fire zones, which makes this partial restoration of service an important part of the recovery,” said L.A. Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins.
— Submitted by Metro
