Caltrans officials on Wednesday shared that they have made progress in studying the slide that has closed Topanga Canyon Boulevard, and they remain hopeful that the roadway can reopen this fall.
On Tuesday, drones surveyed the area and crews cut a trail through the brush so geologists could reach the hilltop and help map the landslide on Route 27 north of Pacific Coast Highway, Caltrans officials shared on X, formerly Twitter.
In addition, heavy machinery was on site to help create a berm to protect the nearby creek from debris, a project requested by California State Parks.
Currently, the “slide is still active and potentially dangerous, with soil clearly muddy and saturated.” However, once the roadway is cleared, “loaders, bulldozers and excavators [can] begin clearing the slide at an undetermined time,” Caltrans said.
The road has been closed since the landslide on March 9, when Caltrans estimates that 9.2 million pounds of earth gave way just south of Topanga.
While a large stretch of the road is closed, business owners want the public to know that they remain open in the meantime.