State Route (SR) 1 Climate Resiliency Plan
State Route (SR) 1 Climate Resiliency Plan
Project Description
Caltrans District 7 is working to protect and improve the Pacific Coast Highway to better serve all users and the environment.
For more information, click here to view the factsheet.
Overview
California relies on a multi-modal transportation network that supports nearly all aspects of our coastal economies—including tourism, agriculture, and coastal dependent industries—as well as the quality of life enjoyed by our citizens. Changing climate patterns are leading to extreme weather swings and rising ocean levels that are threatening the State Highway System (SHS) in California. As climate change and rising seas affect our transportation system, these events will disrupt the daily lives of residents, upset coastal economies, risk public safety, contribute to losses of ecosystems that provide habitat for rare and endangered species, and impede public access and recreation in these coastal areas.
Caltrans is continuously developing guidance to inform the integration of climate risk assessment and adaptation strategies from early planning throughout project scoping and development using the best available science in accordance with State climate adaptation guidelines. Climate change effects will impact the transportation network at the corridor scale and corridor planning is a valuable step in Caltrans’ climate change goals, where planners may deploy a more holistic approach in addressing the climate change needs of both the transportation system and its users.
Identifying climate risks, or future expected impacts of climate-driven hazards, is a first step to supporting a climate resilient transportation system. Between 2017 and 2019, Caltrans produced climate change vulnerability assessments and corresponding GIS mapping tools for each of its twelve districts to help build resilience through transportation decision-making. The 2019 District 7 Vulnerability Assessment identified segments of the D7 SHS in Los Angeles and Ventura counties that are potentially at risk to various climate stressors including precipitation, temperature, cliff retreat, storm surge, and sea level rise.
This current corridor climate planning effort is a step between the Vulnerability Assessment and project level initiation documents.
Purpose of Corridor Plan
- Consider climate adaptation related plans/projects in the corridor area and assess the climate related challenges/vulnerabilities along the corridor.
- Develop potential short, medium, and long-term adaptation strategies that reflect a balanced vision for the corridor as determined by collaborative discussions and input from partners, stakeholders, and the public for future implementation.
Assure long-term stability and structural integrity for the corridor.
Plan Background/History
In 2021, a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) was issued to Caltrans by the Coastal Commission, authorizing construction of two secant walls along the corridor in Ventura County. The CDP limits the term of authorization for the walls to 30 years requiring a long-term solution by 2051 through the submittal of the Corridor Climate Resiliency and Highway Safety Plan to the Coastal Commission within 5 years of the completing construction on of the secant wall project.
In recent years, Caltrans has spent tens of millions of dollars on emergency projects to repair sections of the corridor that have failed due to natural hazards and the effects of climate change. Flooding, wildfires, rockslides, and other stressors involving the SHS are becoming more frequent occurrences. Landslides, coastal erosion, and flooding are part of the natural functioning of this coastline, but these phenomena frequently threaten the corridor.
Local Plans/Projects
City of Santa Monica 2025-2030 Local Hazards Mitigation Plan, October 2025
Los Angeles County Department of Beaches & Harbors Sand Compatibility and Opportunistic Use Program Draft Initial Study & Mitigated Negative Declaration, April 2025
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES – DEPARTMENT OF BEACHES AND HARBORS COASTAL RESILIENCE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PHASE 1: FEASIBILITY STUDY – FINAL REPORT 4/8/2025 Draft
CITY OF LOS ANGELES CLIMATE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, Winter 2024
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES – DEPARTMENT OF BEACHES AND HARBORS COASTAL RESILIENCE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PHASE 1: FEASIBILITY STUDY – INTERIM REPORT, December 2024
Santa Monica Mountains Land Use Plan A Component of The Santa Monica Mountains Local Coastal Program County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning, Amended August 2024
City of Los Angeles 2024 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, June 2024
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF BEACHES & HARBORS COASTAL RESILIENCE STUDY FINAL REPORT County of Los Angeles Department of Beaches & Harbors, December 22, 2023
Las Virgenes-Malibu Council of Governments Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023
City of Malibu Coastal Hazard Vulnerability Assessment, August 2023
Ventura County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2022, June 2022
Malibu Foundation Our Climate Crisis: A Guide for SoCal Communities in the Wildland Urban Interface, January 1, 2022
LA County Climate Vulnerability Assessment, October 2021
Ventura County 2040 General Plan Climate Action Plan (CAP), October 2020
COASTAL ADAPTATION VISION FOR NAVAL BASE VENTURA COUNTY POINT MUGU The Nature Conservancy and Naval Base Ventura County, September 2020
County of Los Angeles All-Hazards Mitigation Plan Chief Executive Office - Office of Emergency Management, 2020
SEA LEVEL RISE IN SANTA MONICA PLANNING FOR A WATERY FUTURE AB 691 Sea Level Rise Assessment City of Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment, 2020
County of Ventura VC Resilient Coastal Adaptation Project Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment, December 14, 2018
City of Santa Monica Local Coastal Program Update Land Use Plan, Adopted October 2018
Regional AdaptLA: Coastal Impacts Planning for the Los Angeles Region Results from the Local Coastal Program Sea Level Rise Grant Program Prepared by the University of Southern California Sea Grant Program, January 2017
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment of the SMBNEP Bay Restoration Plan Prepared by the Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program for submittal to the US Environmental Protection Agency, September 2016
Los Angeles County Public Beach Sea-Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment, April 2016
All Hazard Mitigation Plan City of Santa Monica, CA UPDATED: 5/9/2014
Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Study for the City of Los Angeles Prepared by the University of Southern California Sea Grant Program, December 2013
Climate Stressors
TEMPERATURE RISE: Average minimum air temperature and average maximum temperature.
CHANGING PRECIPITATION: Change in precipitation during a 100-year storm event.
WILDFIRE: Expected areas burned over time.
SEA LEVEL RISE: Inundation from different sea level heights with an annual storm event.
STORM SURGE: Flooding from different sea level heights with a 100-year storm event.
CLIFF RETREAT: Expected erosion from different sea level rise heights.
Study Area
This corridor plan focuses on the approximately 47-mile portion of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), a north/south highway in the State’s Highway System, located from south of McClure Tunnel in the City of Santa Monica to Pleasant Valley Road in the City of Oxnard. See the map below.
Your Voice Matters!
Caltrans wants to hear from you! Your feedback will help us understand the needs of the people who use and live near this corridor.
Click the blue "Continue" button at the bottom of this page or the "Participate" tab at the top of this page.
Timeline
Documents
Caltrans makes every attempt to ensure our documents are accessible. Due to variances between assistive technologies, there may be portions of documents which are not accessible. Where documents cannot be made accessible, we are committed to providing alternative access to the content. Should you need additional assistance, please contact us at (916) 654-2852 or visit https://dot.ca.gov/request-ada-compliant-documents.