Drivers could soon be charged to travel on this key Southern California commuter road

Commuters and tourists could soon be paying to drive down this scenic, yet important road in Southern California.

According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times, the city of Rancho Palos Verdes is considering adding a toll to Palos Verdes Drive South.

The road is a busy commuter route, as it covers much of the coastline of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, but also is essential for emergency vehicles such as fire engines and ambulances.

The idea is in early discussions and is in no way a certainty. Officials have cited high costs of repairs to the road as reasoning for potential toll fees. Excessive land movement has caused millions of dollars in damage to the road in just the past couple of years.

“There’s been enough conversation,” Mayor David Bradley said, per The Times. “We need to flesh out what the pros and cons of that would be … Is if financially viable, or are we just making some vendor rich without really helping the city?”

Opponents say toll payments could add up for locals who travel the road daily to get to work, and it could harm local businesses as drivers take detours to avoid paying.

About 15,000 drivers travel on the road per day, the city estimates.

Last year, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council voted to ban bikes and motorcycles from a winding two-mile stretch of the road, citing dangers from the land movement.

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