Highway tragedies in Malibu find an unusual solace in the ocean's vista: celebrities, sunsets, and car crashes intertwine in a melancholic tableau.
Improving Safety and Transportation Along Malibu's Pacific Coast Highway
Efforts to enhance safety and transportation on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Malibu have gained momentum since the tragic death of Emily Shane in 2010. Her father, Michel Shane, a Hollywood producer known for films like "Catch Me If You Can" and "I, Robot," became a vocal safety advocate.
Since then, around 60 lives have been lost on the Malibu stretch of PCH, with four Pepperdine University students being among the victims in a 2023 incident. This tragic statistic has prompted state and local officials to launch initiatives aimed at addressing speeding and pedestrian safety. Parts of PCH serve as unofficial parking and lack sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to walk dangerously close to traffic.
Michel Shane's advocacy extends beyond road safety improvements. He has proposed an ocean ferry system to reduce highway traffic and provide evacuation routes during wildfires and road closures. This service, combined with public transit shuttles, aims to ease congestion for Malibu's 12,000 residents and millions of annual visitors. As of August 2025, discussions about the PCH ferry service concept are ongoing, with Shane actively promoting it as a viable way to get people off the road and onto the water.
The city of Malibu has also focused on emergency preparedness by training residents through the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. This initiative enhances residents' ability to support one another during disasters when road access or emergency services may be disrupted.
The Palisades Fire, part of the January firestorm that ravaged Malibu in 2018, was the costliest inferno in Los Angeles County's history. The rebuild of the homes and businesses destroyed by the fire could shrink PCH due to heavy equipment navigation. Dan Salas, CEO of Harbor Breeze Cruises, believes that the water should factor into any evacuation plan in Malibu.
Patricia Keeney Maischoss heads a group called "Pier to Pier" that aims to launch a ferry service from Malibu to Santa Monica and Marina Del Rey. The long-term goal of the ferry service is to expand up and down the coast, potentially as far north as Ventura and Santa Barbara.
In memory of Emily Shane, who loved the ocean and died at the age of 13 on PCH, the Emily Shane Foundation was created to honor her giving nature. Emily's death changed Michel Shane and made him an activist determined to make life safer for others. Michel Shane lives in a canyon home high above the Pacific Ocean and cruises around Malibu in a Porsche SUV.
This weekend, Michel Shane would have celebrated Emily's 29th birthday. A permanent memorial was created for the four Pepperdine University seniors who were killed on PCH in 2023. For Michel Shane, a successful ferry service would be another improvement to PCH and an honor to Emily's legacy.
Sources:
[1] Malibu Times
[2] City of Malibu
- Michel Shane, a Hollywood producer, became an advocate for road safety on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) after his daughter Emily's tragic death in 2010.
- Since Emily's death, over 60 lives have been lost on the Malibu stretch of PCH, with four Pepperdine University students being among the victims in a 2023 incident.
- Initiatives aimed at addressing speeding and pedestrian safety on PCH have been launched by state and local officials.
- Lack of sidewalks forces pedestrians to walk close to traffic on parts of PCH that serve as unofficial parking.
- Michel Shane proposes an ocean ferry system to reduce highway traffic and provide evacuation routes during emergencies.
- Discussions about the PCH ferry service concept are ongoing, with Shane actively promoting it.
- The city of Malibu trains residents through the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program to enhance their ability to support each other during disasters.
- The Palisades Fire in 2018 was the costliest inferno in Los Angeles County's history, and its rebuild could shrink PCH due to heavy equipment navigation.
- Dan Salas, CEO of Harbor Breeze Cruises, suggests incorporating water travel into Malibu's evacuation plans.
- Patricia Keeney Maischoss leads a group aiming to launch a ferry service from Malibu to Santa Monica and Marina Del Rey.
- The Emily Shane Foundation was created to honor Emily, who died at the age of 13 on PCH, and her giving nature.
- Celebrities, like Michel Shane, can play significant roles in promoting safety improvements on public roads.
- Pop-culture figures like Michel Shane, known for movies like "Catch Me If You Can" and "I, Robot," can lend star power to various causes.
- The future of Malibu's transportation system could involve a combination of road and water travel as solutions for traffic congestion and emergency evacuations.
- Sports-betting platforms might feature odds on races in auto-racing, horse-racing, and basketball, such as the NBA, NCAA Basketball, MLB, NFL, and NHL.
- Michel Shane, a passionate safety advocate, would celebrate Emily's 29th birthday this weekend and hopes a successful ferry service will be another improvement to PCH and an honor to Emily's legacy.
