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White Point Landslide: Project Summary

Bird's eye view of the White Point Landslide damage.

In July of 2011, the Bureau of Engineering investigated tension cracks that had formed in Paseo Del Mar, up to 25 feet long and three inches in width. After continued investigations street access was closed, utility relocation began, and a perimeter fence was constructed to prevent the public from accessing the damaged area.

Despite these precautions, on November 20, 2011 approximately 420 feet of Paseo Del Mar slid 53 feet southward toward the ocean in the White Point landslide. The landslide, located in the San Pedro area of the City of Los Angeles, affected an area that consisted of a broad flat mesa above a steep, 120 foot coastal bluff, taking part of Paseo Del Mar and the inactive utilities within.

To date the Bureau of Engineering has been overseeing the geotechnical investigation and monitoring of the landslide conducted by the geotechnical consultant, Shannon and Wilson, and the installation of landslide mitigation measures constructed by specialty contractor Hayward Baker. The last phase of the emergency landslide mitigation measures was completed in fall of 2015 and included removing pavement adjacent to the landslide, grading the site around the landslide for proper drainage, and construction of a semi-permanent turn-around for improved traffic mitigation on Paseo Del Mar at the intersection with Weymouth Avenue.

The roadway reconstruction phase of the project is currently in pre-design while funds are being identified to re-establish the Paseo Del Mar roadway.  A Pre-Design report has been completed which presented three alternatives for restoring the roadway; a bridge, a retaining wall, and a fill embankment. The most feasible alternative is to construct a single span bridge across the landslide.  The permanent roadway restoration is expected to begin construction in 2021 and take two years to complete. A preliminary construction cost of $27,000,000 has been established.

An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared and is currently being submitted to the County Clerk Registrar-Recorder for review by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.  Once approved, the EIR will be presented to the Board of Public Works then to the City Council for adoption.

The project is in Council District 15 and is located within the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council District.

For latest information on project progress, go to Status Reports.