10/24/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/24/2024 15:39
October 24, 2024 - The City of Malibu held a press conference on October 18, marking one year since the tragic loss of four Pepperdine University students killed by a speeding motorist on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), highlighting the progress made so far, and the measures that lie ahead in the comprehensive effort to improve safety on PCH.
City officials were joined by State officials, law enforcement, and traffic safety advocates to honor the memory of Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams, whose deaths on October 17, 2023, devastated the Malibu community. Their loss, as well as the many lives lost on PCH over the years, have united community members, law enforcement, safety advocates, and City, County and State officials to prioritize and invest in making PCH safer to prevent further tragedies.
Video of the press conference is available here, and below.
Speakers included: Senator Ben Allen (District 24), author of Senate Bill 1297, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (District 42), primary co-author of SB 1297; Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart; Capt. Jared Perry, California Highway Patrol (CHP); Capt. Jennifer Seetoo, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department; Lee Haber, Chief Safety Officer, Caltrans District 7; David Rolston, Father of Niamh Rolston, one of the four students lost on PCH; Damian Kevitt, Fix PCH and Founder of Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE).
The speakers discussed the impacts of the tragedy and of the dangers of PCH; outlined the many significant safety and infrastructure improvements implemented on PCH over the past year as well as ongoing and future measures. They also acknowledged the work that remains to be done and reaffirmed their commitment to making lasting improvements to PCH safety.
Key points discussed during the press conference included:
Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart commented on the many measures completed, ongoing and upcoming measures that the City has taken to address PCH safety, including the Traffic Signal Synchronization Project, improvements to pedestrian signals, crosswalks, turn lanes and medians at key intersections, and a pedestrian undercrossing: "We have made progress, but there is more work to do to ensure PCH is safe for everyone - drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. It was a senseless tragedy one year ago, and our hearts go out the friends, family and everyone in the Pepperdine community for the loss of the four young women. Last night, we came together here for a candlelight vigil to honor their memory. The lights from our candles reminded us of the bright futures they had ahead, and our responsibility to honor their memory through meaningful action."
Senator Ben Allen commented on the importance of quickly passing SB 1297, which he co-authored, allowing automated speed citation cameras on PCH in Malibu: "These moments of reflection remind me of the gravity of the work we do in Sacramento. Sometimes it feels too political, but this was an opportunity for us to step up and save lives and make our community better and safer. And it was done in partnership with our local community. There was one purpose of this bill - to get people to slow down and drive more safely on this beautiful but deadly stretch of highway. Thank you to all the organizations who played an important role in getting this done. Thank you to the family and friends of the young women, who came and spoke at the hearings, it turned people around."
Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, who co-authored SB 1297, highlighted the community support and partnerships that made the many safety measures possible, from SB 1297, to increased enforcement, to the California Secretary of Transportation's quick action to approve $4.2 million in short-term projects: "This has truly been a community effort. As we honor the memories of more than 60 people who have lost their lives on PCH, we are also reflecting on the progress that has been made to ensure that the carnage is a thing of the past. At the end of the day, safety is everyone's responsibility, and we all need to ensure that we are following the rules of the road and paying attention when driving."
Damian Kevitt, Fix PCH and Founder of Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE), announced a GoFundMe campaign to raise $32,000 for a permanent memorial at Point Dume in Malibu commemorating Niamh Rolston, Peyton Stewart, Asha Weir, and Deslyn Williams. For more information, and to donate, visit the website.
For more information about Malibu's fight for a safer PCH, including press releases, documents and statistics, visit the webpage.