SR-1 Malibu Coast to Topanga Canyon Switchbacks (Tier 4)

Complexity Index

85 / 100

Tier 4: Steep Mountain & Exposed Coast

Corridor distance

11.8 mi

Pacific Coast Hwy (SR-1) & Las Flores Canyon to Topanga Canyon Blvd & Ventura Blvd

Peak vertical slope

6.6%

18 to 1,512 ft elevation

Cumulative climb

1,595 ft

Crux: SR-27 Topanga Canyon Narrows & PCH junction

Why this corridor sits in Tier 4

Starting along Pacific Coast Highway (SR-1) where beachside shoulder parking meets 45 to 50 mph through-lanes, this route turns inland up SR-27 through the narrow Topanga Creek gorge before climbing S-curves over Topanga Summit. Sightlines compress sharply inside rock narrows while cyclists, village pedestrians, and canyon commuters share two undivided lanes.

Key roadway traits

PCH beachfront merge transition
Narrow Topanga Creek rock gorge
Summit S-curve descent to Valley

Crux sightline checkpoint: SR-27 Topanga Canyon Narrows & PCH junction (34.0418, -118.5824, heading 18 deg). Open Google Street View panorama ↗

Four-factor geometric & crash decomposition

0 to 100 scale

Curve & turn deflection89 / 100

275 deg/mi canyon gorge turns and Woodland Hills S-curves

Vertical slope & hill grade81 / 100

6.6% climb over 1,500 ft Topanga Summit

Speed envelope & merge pacing83 / 100

Signal-free canyon narrows transitioning to village commercial driveways

Historical crash record concentration87 / 100

High coastal junction and canyon curve crash record concentration

Corridor alignment & sightline inspection

Reference corridor geometry loads on OpenStreetMap + MapLibre by default. Load live buffered CHP CCRS collision counts or launch interactive Street View when needed.

Corridor pathFatal crashInjury crashPDO crash(Reference California corridor geometry; click any point for Street View)

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Inspect full statewide highway tables, city crash profiles, or generate a custom origin-to-destination brief along this corridor.

SR-1 corridor profile →US-101 corridor profile →I-10 corridor profile →Los Angeles crash map →All 24 California courses →

Other Tier 4 California corridors

Angeles Crest Highway (SR-2) La Canada to Clear Creek

San Gabriel Mountains · 10.2 mi

Index 89 →

Cabrillo Highway (SR-1) Carmel Highlands to Big Sur

Central Coast · 18.5 mi

Index 86 →

Ortega Highway (SR-74) San Juan Capistrano to Elsinore Crest

Orange County / Riverside Mountains · 16.8 mi

Index 88 →

US-50 Echo Summit Sierra Granite Escarpment

Sierra Nevada / Lake Tahoe · 11.4 mi

Index 87 →

Methodology & interpretation limits

Complexity Index combines horizontal curvature, sustained elevation grade, speed-transition demand, and 12-month historical reported crash concentration per corridor mile. Counts describe observational public records unadjusted for daily traffic volume and do not represent driving safety advice. Missing-coordinate collision records in surrounding cities are reported separately in live buffered queries and are never plotted at synthetic coordinates.

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Cite or reuse this profile

This is independent analysis of public records. Keep the reporting window, source, and methodology attached when reusing a figure.

Evidence for Zero. "SR-1 Malibu Coast to Topanga Canyon Switchbacks (Tier 4: Steep Mountain & Exposed Coast)." Updated November 11, 2026. https://crashes.meruai.co/courses/malibu-pch-topanga-canyon. Analysis of California Crash Reporting System public records.

Read the methodology