Accident Sparks Questions about Highlands Fire Road

Following a fatal car accident that occurred about 6 p.m. on Saturday, January 31, the Los Angeles Police Department closed Palisades Drive in both directions, leaving drivers with only one way to exit or enter the Highlands: The Highlands Fire Road. There are no detour signs in the Highlands, so many residents and visitors drove around aimlessly trying to find the paved fire road, located off Palisades Drive at the end of Piedra Morada Drive and connecting to Lachman Lane in Marquez Knolls. Meanwhile, Highlands residents and visitors who were trying to reach the Highlands did not know where the fire road started off Lachman Lane. Haldis Toppel, secretary of the Pacific Palisades Community Council, was visiting with friends in the Highlands that evening with plans to head to Santa Monica for dinner around 7 p.m. She and her friend drove down Palisades Drive and were stopped with about 100 other cars. Shortly thereafter, a Palisades Patrol vehicle led a line of cars via a U-turn to the fire road. However, many vehicles lost sight of the lead patrol car and ‘ended up lost, cruising through the Highlands by following cars ahead of them that did not intend to exit,’ Toppel said. Fortunately, Toppel’s friend knew where the fire road was located. The gates, which are on both ends of the road, were opened when they arrived. The police and fire departments have keys to open the gates when an alternate route is needed. Once Toppel and her friend started traveling down the road, they discovered it was one-way and overgrown with vegetation. Toppel is concerned that if Palisades Drive were to become impassable, the fire road would not provide speedy evacuation, especially at night. Moreover, Lachman Lane could become congested easily because it is narrow, steep and winding. It would also be difficult to move emergency equipment into the Highlands along the road at the same time as evacuating vehicles. In addition, Toppel was unable to get cell-phone reception. Steve Nuccio, chair of the Highlands Presidents Council, has already taken some action and has spoken with Bel-Air Patrol. He plans to print maps for the private patrol service to distribute to whoever is handling traffic control on Palisades Drive. Nuccio and the Bel-Air Patrol also intend to purchase detour signs for various locations along Palisades Drive. Captain Dan Thompson, Fire Station 23, said Palisades Drive (which has four lanes) is the primary evacuation route for the Highlands, and he believes it can be used in the majority of emergency situations. ‘If there was going to be an evacuation, we would let the residents know several hours in advance,’ Thompson said, in case of a brush fire, for example.