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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A series of motions intended to reduce freight traffic in Wilmington related to activities at the Port of Los Angeles, including installing roundabouts and cul-de-sacs, was introduced today by Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino.
One motion asks the Bureau of Engineering and Department of Transportation to report on a budget and implementation plan to install mini roundabouts at the intersections of Sanford Avenue, Watson Avenue and Blinn Avenue with Colon Street.
Another motion asks the same departments to report on a plan to close vehicular access to Drumm Avenue by constructing cul-de-sacs on Cruces Street, O Street and Colon Street.
A third motion seeks to have the Department of Transportation begin the process of permanently closing Blinn Avenue between Lomita Boulevard and Sandison Street.
Buscaino said in his motions that Wilmington ``has long been subjected to negative impacts of the Port of Los Angeles, exacerbated by poor planning, incompatible land use designation and inadequate transportation infrastructure.''
Buscaino added that the 2020 closure of a substandard railroad crossing at Lomita Boulevard and Alameda Street led to an increase in container trucks using residential streets to access container storage yards.
``These streets are not designed for overweight trucks and have resulted in unfair and unacceptable impacts to the qualify of life of residents who live along these residential streets, including traffic, noise, diesel exhaust fumes and dust,'' the motion states.
The mitigation efforts proposed in the motion were recommended in the Wilmington Freight Mitigation Study released this month by the Southern California Association of Governments, which assessed the impacts of truck travel in Wilmington.
Buscaino also introduced a motion to have the Department of City Planning generally incorporate proposed mitigation measures of the Wilmington Freight Mitigation Study into the Wilmington Community Plan.