Westsiders rev up their opposition to city’s traffic plan

Westside residents ratcheted up opposition Monday to a city proposal to change traffic patterns on Olympic and Pico boulevards.

Several community groups began circulating petitions against the plan or turned in signatures to key officials at City Hall.

They said the plan would displace traffic to other streets, encourage more cut-through driving and hurt north-south traffic flows.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Councilman Jack Weiss last week announced the plan that would favor traffic moving west on Olympic and east on Pico, to ease commuter traffic through the Westside.

More than two dozen speakers at the City Council’s transportation committee meeting Monday complained about the proposal.