Injunction sought to halt widening

Thursday, June 3, 2004 | 10:01 a.m.

The Sierra Club has filed a motion asking a federal judge to halt the widening of U.S. 95 to 10 lanes while the environmental group appeals its failed lawsuit against the project to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip Pro dismissed the Sierra Club's lawsuit in March. The suit alleged that the government's environmental impact study for the $370 million project does not take into account health risks caused by certain pollutants, and that the Federal Highway Administration made arbitrary and capricious decisions in approving the project

The Sierra Club's motion for an injunction, filed Friday, states that Pro's denial of their claim that the federal government violated environmental regulations was, "based on an incorrect view of the facts."

The motion argues that the Federal Highway Administration never took into account studies brought forward by the Sierra Club relating to dangerous pollution levels and cancer.

The final phases in the widening of U.S. 95 from six to 10 lanes between Martin Luther King and Rainbow boulevards are expected to be under construction this fall and to be completed in fall 2006.