City Working to Fix Flooding Issues with PCH Pedestrian Tunnels

Representatives from Caltrans, Street Services, and City Councilmember Traci Park’s office meet to assess the pedestrian tunnels between PCH and the Canyon. Photos: Courtesy of Sharon Kilbride

By Laurel Busby

News & Information Editor

The Little and Roosevelt pedestrian tunnels, which go under Pacific Coast Highway to the beach, have been suffering from flooding issues.

“The Little Tunnel has a failed sump pump that is causing the tunnel to flood on the east end with dirty bacteria-ridden water leaking from the roof of the tunnel, making it nearly impossible for people to walk through the Little Tunnel to access Will Rogers Beach,” said The Canyon Alliance Board Member Sharon Kilbride.

In addition, a stagnant drain on PCH is increasing the problem, while the west end drain for the Roosevelt Tunnel “ is totally blocked with sand, causing the water to pool in the tunnel during the rains,” Kilbride said.

To work on the issue, Kilbride toured the tunnels with Caltrans and L.A. Street Services officials in a meeting set up by Arus Gregorian, a senior field deputy for City Councilmember Traci Park.

At the meeting, Michael Allmon of Street Services said the department would be installing a new sump pump in the Little Tunnel on Aug. 26. In addition, the department would address the tunnel’s leaky ceiling by installing hydraulic cement, according to Kilbride. Street Services will also work to engineer the PCH drain to be more effective, while also cleaning it to allow better water flow.

Kilbride said that Caltrans assured the meeting attendees that the tunnels had been surveyed and found to be structurally sound.

Street Services also promised to clear the sand and debris from the Roosevelt Tunnel’s west drain so the water can drain, according to Kilbride .

“All these issues hopefully will be addressed in the coming months in time for expected El Niño rains,” she said.

Since 2015, the Boca Neighborhood Association has paid for an unhoused individual to clean the tunnels weekly, since no other entity took responsibility for this need.”

“These tunnels are very important to our community to access the beach, so we take a stake in keeping them clean, which costs us over $3,000 annually to maintain,” Kilbride said.