Land movement forces Rancho Palos Verdes to prohibit motorcycles and bicycles on main road

A winding, two-mile stretch of Palos Verdes Drive South in Rancho Palos Verdes will be closed to two-wheel vehicles, including motorcycles and bicycles, due to land movement that has created dangerous driving situations, according to the city.

At its Tuesday, June 18 meeting, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council voted unanimously to prohibit two-wheeled vehicles from traveling on the two-lane road from Wayfarers Chapel in the north to Schooner Drive in the south until “movement rates can be significantly reduced.”

“Sometimes, fissures, dips, bumps, other pavement irregularities are forming, and although four-wheeled vehicles can usually navigate these, given the warning signs and slowing down, the same cannot be said for two-wheeled vehicles,” said Public Works Director Ramzi Awwad, at the June 18 meeting.

Indeed that two-mile stretch of road contains a protruding hill of asphalt locals have named the “ski jump” between Narcissa Drive and Peppertree Drive. Awwad has previously admitted that stretch needed a significant regrade.

In March, city officials warned Palos Verdes Drive South, where approximately 15,000 cars travel daily, might have to be closed to all traffic while workers performed the regrading or built a detour route.

While the prohibition of two-wheeled vehicles will be revisited in six months, some bike enthusiasts at the meeting were not in favor.

Todd Bernhardt, an RPV resident and an officer on the board of Big Orange Cycling, a cycling club in the South Bay, said the area is safe as long as cyclists moderate their speed and pay close attention to the road.

“I think as long as the city takes other measures, such as limiting the speed of all vehicles, increasing the amount of signage, instituting additional traffic control measures for all vehicles and educating the community about the hazards on this stretch of road, then I know from first hand experience that it can be ridden safely and will pose no risk to cyclists or the city of Rancho Palos Verdes,” Bernhardt said.

Bicyclist Geoffrey Loui said he has seen “cars having just as much difficulty in navigating the area if they don’t navigate the speed well.”

“I saw cars skidding, going sideways, and I saw particularly a truck taking the lip and clearing through the air for a car length and a half before actually coming back in contact with the pavement,” Loui said. “It’s full ‘Streets of San Francisco’ style.”

Cars swerving to avoid fissures is just as dangerous, said commenters, as motorcyclists or bicyclists on the road.

Councilmember Paul Seo said while there are motorcyclists or bicyclists who will follow the law, but there are others who might not.

“Common sense for us would dictate that in order for us to protect our community and the public, sometimes even from themselves, I think we need to put this in place,” Seo said.

Land movement is happening at a rate of 7 to 12 inches per week on Palos Verdes Drive South, according to the city.

Closing PV Drive South to motocyclists and bicyclists is just the first of many travails RPV has had to endure due to what city geologist Mike Phipps previously called “unprecedented land movement.”

The rapidly shifting land has also impacted historical sites such as Wayfarers Chapel which is currently in the process of being deconstructed and moved to another location after suffering structural damage, rendering the iconic wedding venue unsafe.