One New York assembly member is standing up for vulnerable communities by trying to ban highway construction near residential areas.
Emerita Torres, a politician representing the Bronx district of New York City, introduced the Stop Highway Community Harm Act in March.
It aims to ban widening highways within 200 feet of "certain public housing facilities, in areas with high rates of asthma, and in environmental justice communities," per StreetsBlog NYC.
Torres said that the inspiration for the bill struck after working in the fight against the Five Bridges project. As The New York Times noted, the $900 million plan would have expanded the Cross Bronx Expressway.
Following demands from residents and pleas from politicians like Torres, the state dropped the plan for an additional four-lane road to carry traffic during construction on the original highway.
Now, with her bill, Torres wants to protect at-risk communities from traffic pollution, enshrining into law that thoughtful consideration is needed for the future planning of highway projects.
"Our public housing communities, they're vulnerable," Torres remarked. "We're talking about young children, elders, and families who are on fixed incomes, who are generally so close to highways and the related air pollution and noise pollution that it causes."
Living near major highways can indeed be detrimental to both physical and mental health, as gas-powered vehicles emit hazardous air pollutants, contribute to incessant noise pollution, and even shed microplastics from tire degradation.
A high density of these vehicles at all hours of the day exacerbates the impacts. For low-income communities, that often means increased healthcare costs and more days taken off work or school.
Banning future highway projects near residential areas could help keep people safer and healthier, and reduce hospital overcrowding.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 "One thing that the community has really demanded that I agree with is we have to decrease the number of cars and trucks on the road in this area," said Torres. "Having the alternative discussion and having the additional data analysis and information is really important."
This sentiment carries weight among communities impacted by the large number of vehicles on the road, as well as the space that the roads themselves consume.
As more car-centric issues arise, so too does the need for refined public transportation and walkable access to places that sell everyday necessities, such as grocery stores and pharmacies, for pedestrians.
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