Local News in Brief : Smog Plans Criticized
Neither more rail lines nor tinkering with workers’ hours will chase away the smog in Los Angeles County’s air because one would cost too much and the other would be fought by commuters, according to a transportation report released Monday.
The county Transportation Commission’s Transit Committee said it would be far better to increase ride-sharing programs and encourage cleaner-running vehicles.
The report criticized the Southern California Assn. of Governments’ 20-year plan to build a network of light-rail lines and freeway car-pool lanes, while requiring employers to stagger work hours to take the crunch out of rush-hour driving. Jim Sims, who directed the study, said that plan is “far beyond the fiscal capacity of governments at all levels and, due to heavy reliance on forced changes in behavior, is not likely to be politically acceptable.”
The South Coast Air Quality Management District is due to release a draft of a regional smog abatement plan next month.
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