The reopening of an 11-mile stretch of highway will offer greater access to Malibu and Pacific Palisades and marks a key step forward in fire recovery efforts.

Two lanes in each direction have opened, with a 25 mph speed limit between Temescal Canyon Road in Pacific Palisades and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu, according to the California Highway Patrol.

A report recently released by Beacon Economics and the Pepperdine School of Public Policy says that since the Palisades Fire, local shops have seen an average 70% decline in businesses. So have restaurants and bars, where, on the aggregate, sales are down about $7.6 million dollars a month.

Pacific Coast Highway, which has been largely off-limits to all but residents, first responders and cleanup crews since the Jan. 7 Palisades Fire, will reopen to all traffic at 8 a.m. Friday. Gov. Gavin Newsom had previously announced that the roadway between Malibu and Santa Monica would be reopened by the end of May.

Less than 48 hours before the planned reopening, the state said it remains "in the dark" regarding the city of Los Angeles' plans for providing security to the fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades.