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LaBonge Wants Tall Food Trucks Moved To Smaller Side Streets

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — By lunchtime, Wilshire Boulevard's south side near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is lined with colorful gourmet food trucks, blocking drivers' views of buildings, building numbers and, unfortunately, traffic signs.

It's for this reason that Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge is proposing a a pilot program that would create over-height vehicle zones on Wilshire-adjacent streets for between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., seven days a week. According to the proposal, each zone would probably contain two or three metered parking spaces.

LaBonge, who represents the city's 4th District, says driving on Wilshire at lunchtime is like driving in a canyon and the food trucks obstruct the view of traffic signals.

"I have a strong belief in safety and the over-height vehicle does present a problem," LaBonge said.

Food truck operators, understandably, don't like the new plan.

"You know what, the people are going to follow wherever the food trucks are," John Gibson of Slider City said.

Residents of those smaller, Wilshire-adjacent streets where these zones are proposed to for set up especially don't like the idea of food trucks on their streets.

"Because it draws too many people," homeowner Anita Klabanof said. "The street would be so crowded."

LaBonge says he will do a walk-through of the area with engineers next week and hopes to get the motion through within the next 60 days.

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