California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that Topanga Canyon Boulevard will reopen on Sunday, months ahead of schedule, as crews have made significant progress in clearing a massive landslide.
The road, also known as State Route 27, has been shut down since March 9, when thousands of tons of mud, dirt and debris buried the popular scenic route from Malibu to the San Fernando Valley.
“Caltrans initially said the closure could last until the fall, so this is good news,” KTLA’s Ginger Chan noted.
“I just want to thank the men and women of Caltrans for working overtime to get this done,” Newsom said in a prerecorded video statement.
Caltrans crews have been working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to stabilize the area and clear the roadway so that the boulevard can be fully opened with occasional one-way traffic controls as emergency repairs continue on the highway.
The closure has impacted businesses in the town of Topanga since access has been limited to vehicles traveling south from the San Fernando Valley, essentially making the town a dead end.