Local News in Brief : Officials Pledge to Aid Traffic Flow

Officials from city of Los Angeles, the county and the schools pledged Tuesday to contribute to better traffic flow by keeping trucks under their control off the streets during rush hours.

Mayor Tom Bradley, Supervisor Mike Antonovich and school board President Roberta Weintraub said at a City Hall press conference that rescheduling deliveries to off-peak times could set an example for the public and private sectors.

The county, city and school district programs alone--some of which have started--will move about 11,000 truck trips out of morning and evening commute hours, officials said. The shift will eliminate an estimated 7 tons of pollutants per week, they said.

Meanwhile, details are being worked out on a tougher Bradley traffic initiative that would limit peak-hour diesel truck traffic on city streets that would include penalties for violations. Bradley said he expects the proposed ordinance to be presented to the City Council for debate in two weeks.