Fire-Damaged Palisades Gets New Walls, PCH Repairs Ahead Of Heavy El Niño Rains

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA — Crews are tackling a series of infrastructure projects across Pacific Palisades, repairing fire- and storm-damaged retaining walls, clearing a debris basin and shoring up Pacific Coast Highway as the community prepares for what's expected to be a significant El Niño-fueled rainy season.

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park highlighted the work during a community update posted Tuesday, touring several projects that are part of the continuing recovery from the devastating January 2025 Palisades Fire and subsequent storms.

Among the projects is an emergency repair on Bienveneda Avenue, where a wooden bulkhead damaged in the fire has been replaced with a cast-in-place concrete wall. The project also includes reconstruction of the sidewalk and guardrail.

Construction on the Bienveneda Avenue project began May 4, according to Park's office.

Park said the project is now substantially complete, showing off the new wall, sidewalk and fencing during the video update.

The city is also working on several other damaged bulkheads in the Palisades. Park pointed to completed work on Enchanted Way and said additional projects in the Castellammare area are moving through the design and contracting process.

The City Council previously authorized pre-design work on bulkhead projects at 17537 Tramonto Drive and 17909 Porto Marina Way, along with drainage mitigation work at 17470 Revello Drive. The projects were identified as candidates for federal hazard-mitigation funding following the Palisades Fire.

Farther north, a major cleanup is underway at Palisades Basin No. 69 in the Highlands.

The Department of Public Works project is intended to restore the basin's capacity to capture debris before the rainy season. Work along Avenida de Santa Ynez and Palisades Drive includes excavation, debris removal, asphalt demolition and restoration. The project began in July and is scheduled to continue through Oct. 15, according to Park's office.

An official accompanying Park in Saturday's update said crews have been hauling roughly 20 to 25 truckloads of material out of the basin each day.

The work can occasionally reduce Palisades Drive to one lane, and motorists should expect slower traffic through the construction zone. Driveways, sidewalks, trash collection and deliveries are expected to remain accessible during the project, city officials said.

Meanwhile, another significant repair project is underway along Pacific Coast Highway near Porto Marina Way.

A retaining wall just north of Porto Marina Way was damaged during an early 2026 rainstorm, when a panel loosened and fell onto the highway, according to Caltrans.

Crews are removing compromised wall panels and unstable material, applying shotcrete to exposed slopes for temporary stabilization and installing erosion-control measures intended to prevent further deterioration. Caltrans estimates the project will cost $2.4 million and be completed by the end of 2026.