Hawaiian Gardens : Council OKs Suit to Keep Pioneer Boulevard Open
The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to go to court if necessary to prevent Long Beach from closing Pioneer Boulevard at the cities’ border.
Hawaiian Gardens officials allege that the closure is a racist move to keep residents of the poorer, predominantly Latino city from entering the more affluent, mostly white neighborhood in Long Beach. Long Beach officials deny the allegation. City Atty. Maurice O’Shea said the lawsuit, expected to be filed in several weeks, would probably be based on environmental and civil rights laws.
Citing heavy traffic, the Long Beach City Council voted Dec. 7 to erect the roadblock within the next two months. Hawaiian Gardens officials fear the street closure would create traffic problems in their city.
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