Vellucci Says Traffic Chief Ignores City

City Councillor Alfred E. Vellucci charged yesterday that traffic director Robert Rudolph "is scheming with bankers in Harvard Square" while slighting the interests of the people of Cambridge.

Vellucci demanded that Rudolph appear before the City Council on Jan. 7 to defend his proposed truck routes through Cambridge. He challenged Rudolph's plans to funnel heavy trucks through "the peaceful, thickly populated residential areas" of the city and claimed that East Cambridge particularly would be inundated by a flood of heavy vehicles.

Vellucci Attacks Rudolph

Vellucci reiterated his attack of last week on Rudolph, whose plans for emergency snow removal aroused demands for the director's resignation.

According to Vellucci, Rudolph was summoned from his job as a Baltimore assistant traffic director by "some banker," then spent the summer "working with the Harvard Trust, the Cambridge Trust, and the University" to produce a traffic survey of Harvard Square.

"As a complete surprise to the citizens of Cambridge," growled Vellucci. "Rudolph comes up with this cock-eyed plan to remove snow off main thoroughfares. He should have tackled the snow problem last summer." Vellucci added that he didn't want his constituents fined $15.

Emergency Snow Plan

The emergency snow removal plan allows the traffic director to order main arteries cleared to vehicles under penalty of a $15 fine. The Council yesterday appropriated $500 to allow Rudolph to purchase signs warning of fines in case of snow emergency. The measure was passed 8-1 with only Vellucci voting no.

Following Vellucci's declamation, his order for Rudolph to appear about the truck matter was unanimously adopted.