Legislation to install speed cameras on a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom Friday as the one-year anniversary nears for a crash that killed four college students on the stretch of seaside road.
Under Senate Bill 1297, speed cameras will be authorized at five locations on PCH. The bill calls for the installation of feedback signs and automated speed cameras on the 21-mile stretch of curving coastal road.
The law goes into effect in January 2025.
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The bill was authored by Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, and co-authored by Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks. Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, and Sen. Henry Stern, D-Los Angeles, also sponsored the measure.
Allen said in a statement that the installation of the cameras can help curb reckless speeding that has plagued the road for years. The legislation was introduced in February, about four months after the tragic deaths of Pepperdine University students Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir and Deslyn Williams.
The women, all in their early 20s, were walking on the side of PCH on Oct. 17 when they were hit by several parked vehicles that had been struck by a car traveling at high speed. The 22-year-old driver was charged with four counts of murder and four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.
The crash led to more calls for increased safety along the stretch of PCH. Measures have also included infrastructure improvements, enhanced enforcement and community outreach.
"We are incredibly grateful to Gov. Newsom for signing this life-saving bill into law," Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart said in a statement. "SB 1297 is a major victory for public safety in Malibu, and it brings us one step closer to making PCH safer for everyone who travels through our city.
"As we mark the one-year anniversary of this tragic event, we remain dedicated to doing everything we can to improve safety and will continue collaborating with Caltrans, law enforcement, and other partners to achieve these goals."
In January, Malibu officials partnered with the California Highway Patrol to establish a task force with three officers dedicated to PCH enforcement. Officials said these combined efforts with support from the LA County Sheriff's Department led to a 36% reduction in injury collisions on PCH.
As a next step, the city of Malibu is expected to develop and present an implementation plan to the City Council, outlining the process for deploying the speed cameras and ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements.
