By Lookout Staff

May 22, 2025 -- A stretch of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) that connects Malibu to Santa Monica will reopen on Friday in time for Memorial Day and the busy summer season.

The 11-mile-stretch, which was closed in January after the Pacific Palisades Fire ravaged the area, has been open only to residents in the burn area, essential businesses and repair crews.

The stretch that spans from Chautauqua Boulevard just north of Santa Monica to Sweetwater Canyon Drive in Malibu will have two lanes open in both directions, according to CalTrans.

The reopening comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on April 12 that PCH would "reopen to public travel by the end of May."

"The Pacific Coast Highway is a major artery that serves hundreds of thousands of Angelenos and visitors from around the world daily and is crucial to connecting Los Angeles with Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and points north," Newsom said in a statement.

To prepare for the reopening, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and Caltrans worked with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to clear debris from parcels along PCH.

Crews worked around the clock to "demolish the damaged and collapsed homes, remove toxic ash and soot, repair the roadways, and install new utility equipment."

State officials told the LA Times on Wednesday that they remain "in the dark" concerning the City of Los Angeles' security plans for the Palisades area, including checkpoints on main arteries into the Palisades.

The reopening is major news for Santa Monica, which has opened a temporary facility for Palisades High School in the old Sears building Downtown.

In addition, Santa Monica College has a Malibu campus and the School District has two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school in the city.