SANTA MONICA : When the Earth Moves, It Usually Ends Up on PCH, Latest Storm Again Proves

Motorists and Caltrans cleanup crews had to contend with yet another mudslide on Pacific Coast Highway after a massive slide thundered onto the roadway at 1 p.m. Tuesday, temporarily closing two lanes of northbound traffic from the California Incline and Chautauqua Boulevard.

The earth, softened by a rainstorm, slid from the steep cliffs along Santa Monica’s Palisades Park, destabilizing a couple of towering palm trees. The trees were removed because they were considered dangerous. By Wednesday afternoon, traffic was back to normal, with workers finishing the cleanup.

In the past month, there have been more than half a dozen slides along Pacific Coast Highway. A massive slide onto the road near Malibu’s Tuna Canyon on Jan. 27 prompted state officials to launch a $2-million excavation project to prevent future slides in the area.