Chamber sues to block traffic plan
A group of Westside businesses filed suit Wednesday to stop Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa from implementing his traffic relief plan for Olympic and Pico boulevards.
The suit by the Greater West Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce alleges that Villaraigosa’s plan would increase the number of vehicles on those streets. The result, they say, would be more traffic and smog. They say the proposal should be studied further under state environmental law.
The mayor’s project is set to begin March 8. Initially, it involves changing the way traffic signals are synchronized so that traffic on westbound Olympic and eastbound Pico is favored. The idea is to encourage commuters to use the two streets to speed their commute to and from the Westside.
The plan also calls for the removal of on-street parking during rush hour. Business owners say the restriction would harm commerce. Zahirah Washington, one of the attorneys representing the chamber, said her clients would seek an injunction unless the city agreed to postpone or alter the plan.
A spokesman for the mayor called the suit “a meritless attempt to block reasonable traffic improvements” with the “inappropriate” use of environmental laws.
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Steve Hymon
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