Santa Monica Braces for School Traffic Surge Following Wildfire Displacement
Drivers throughout Westside communities, from Brentwood to Pacific Palisades, should prepare for increased traffic in downtown Santa Monica as Palisades Charter High School temporarily relocates following wildfire damage to its main campus.
Beginning Monday, April 22, students from Pali High will attend in-person classes at a temporary site dubbed “Pali South,” located at the former Sears building on 4th Street and Colorado Avenue. Classes will continue at this location through the end of the school year on June 6.
The relocation follows devastating wildfires that severely damaged parts of the Pacific Palisades, including the Pali High campus. In response, Santa Monica’s City Council issued an emergency order to expedite the school’s transition, coordinating across departments to support students and their families displaced by the disaster.
Pali South’s school day runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2:46 p.m., with peak traffic expected between 7:00–8:30 a.m. and again from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Residents and commuters from neighboring Westside communities are strongly encouraged to avoid downtown Santa Monica during these hours when possible or allow extra time for their routes.
City officials are particularly urging drivers who don’t need to be in the area during these windows to consider alternate routes or delay their travel.
To help ease the flow of traffic, commuters heading into Santa Monica from surrounding neighborhoods may find smoother access using the Lincoln Boulevard off-ramp. However, motorists should be aware that one lane in each direction on Lincoln will be closed between Broadway and Santa Monica Boulevard on April 21 and 22, which may lead to additional delays.
Santa Monica’s traffic, planning, and public safety teams will closely monitor the initial weeks of the campus operation and make necessary adjustments to signal timing, signage, and traffic patterns. Community members are encouraged to be patient during this transition period as the city works to strike a balance between student safety and commuter convenience.
Those who need to report traffic concerns or issues can email the city at 311@santamonica.gov.
