Officials are taking preventative action to avoid a potential disaster ahead of the storm and cold temperatures headed to Southern California later this week.
On Tuesday afternoon, Caltrans was working alongside the northbound Pacific Coast Highway between Chautauqua Boulevard and Temescal Canyon Road to avert a possible mudslide or debris flow, the agency tweeted.
Aerial footage showed a skip loader removing loose dirt and debris and placing it into trucks to be taken away.
The work necessitated the closure of the right lane, though traffic continues in the other two northbound lanes.
The lane was expected to reopen by 3 p.m.