CHP Responds to Late-Night Motorcycle Groups

By DAYNA DRUM | Reporter

Most Palisadians have come to know Wednesday nights as the night punctured with the sound of dozens of motorcycles roaring down Sunset Boulevard, but the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is now also following the noise.

At the quarterly Pacific Coast Highway Taskforce meeting on Friday, Jan. 29 at Malibu City Hall, CHP Officer Leland Tang explained the agency has been stopping the motorcyclists and citing them for illegally modified tailpipes.

This explanation came after Senator Fran Pavley asked for more information about the group.

A Los Angeles Sherriff’s representative gave some background, explaining that there are two large groups of motorcycle riders, one coming from the 101 Freeway and the other from I-10 through McClure Tunnel.

The two groups then meet at the Sunset Blvd. and PCH intersection to ride together, creating thundering noise which disrupts neighbors in Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

The meeting gathered a multitude of other law enforcement and city agencies representatives, including Assemblymember Richard Bloom and staff from Senator Ben Allen’s office.

Each agency representative gave updates on various projects in progress, including the California Incline. A Caltrans representative said the project is a couple months ahead of schedule and the base paving had just been completed in the last week.

The pedestrian crossing from Palisades Park over the Incline will also be redone as part of the project, which is slated for completion by July 4.

A note was also made that the LA Marathon will be taking place on Sunday, Feb. 14, closing Ocean Ave. for most of the morning and into the afternoon.

An LAPD representative gave collision statistics for the last year, stating the intersection with the most collisions was PCH and Sunset, followed by PCH and Temescal Canyon and PCH and Chautauqua Boulevard, which tied for the second highest number of collisions.

Palisadian and Taskforce member Amy Kalp brought up safety concerns about the area exiting McClure Tunnel onto PCH.

She referenced a large pileup that occurred in that area on Jan. 2, resulting in PCH being closed for six hours.

Further discussion of the item was placed on the agenda for the next meeting, taking place on April 20.