Perhaps we should stop calling it Coast Highway and admit that its real name is more appropriate: Pacific Coast Highway, PCH, the coastal commuter freeway that suffers no one.
That bisects small towns like a sharp, furious blade, striking down anyone in its way.
That’s the real PCH, the longest, most dangerously personal state route in California. There are bigger freeways, to be sure, but none that kill us in our front yards.
And kill us it does. The last month, in particular, has seen several deaths, all horrific.
At some point after so many deaths over the years, one would think about changing things. Why let the carnage continue? Why let Caltrans continue to operate Coast Highway in Laguna Beach using cost-efficiency as its driving principle?
While the California Department of Transportation probably means well, it’s a $20 billion state behemoth, and Laguna is barely on its radar.
Doubtless the city is thankful for Caltrans recently stepping up to start improving Laguna Canyon Road, but what about the elephant in the road, the other freeway? The new pedestrian lights at dark intersections are nice – if way overdue – but what about the lack of sidewalks, the lack of traffic calming, the schizophrenic speed limits?
There are so many ways to improve Coast Highway in Laguna, but nothing substantial will happen until the city takes the reins.
Mayor Bob Whalen, along with many before him, have tried to take more control but it’s going to take a significant financial commitment.
“Coast Highway is owned and operated by Caltrans, and we will reach out to them to determine if they can implement additional safety improvements to make the roadway safer for pedestrians,” he said in a statement. “We need to hold Caltrans accountable to find safety solutions to avoid more tragic accidents in our city.”
Obviously, accountability goes both ways. Pedestrians can’t expect to survive by trying to run across a freeway. And make no mistake, Coast Highway is a freeway. It’s time the city of Laguna Beach takes control of Coast Highway, protects its residents and visitors, and create a new model of transportation safety, beauty and life.
I have been writing about Laguna’s traffic woes since 2011. Here is a story in the L.A. Times/Daily Pilot from nearly 10 years ago that could have been written yesterday.
