‘I Have Real Fears’: Bronx Community Members Blast Proposal to Add More Road to Cross Bronx Expressway

In a letter addressed to the state s Department of Transportation Bronx residents called adding a mile-long stretch to the Cross Bronx Expressway a dangerous and unacceptable explanation to renovating several of its aging infrastructure A rendering of the one of the possibilities under consideration which would build a traffic diversion connector road with a series of sub-options for its uses NYSDOT A proposal to repair five Cross Bronx Expressway CBE bridges along Interstate that could involve building a mile-long highway-like structure over the Bronx River and Starlight Park to evade traffic is shaking up members of the Bronx society More than two dozen district organizations delivered a letter to the state s Department of Transportation NYSDOT last week urging the department to skip the added structure and repair the bridges instead with minimal impact to the area Adding to the expressway which is already considered one of the most of congested roads in the nation could amp up trash in a neighborhood where children face higher rates of asthma-related hospital visits than any other borough function d u ac var s d createElement 'script' s type 'text javascript' s src 'https a omappapi com app js api min js' s async true s dataset user u s dataset campaign ac d getElementsByTagName 'head' appendChild s document 'u kmqsczew vunxutxmd' I have real fears I know countless kids in our neighborhood have asthma and are getting sent to the hospital on a regular basis I don t want that for my kid commented Victoria Toro a Bronx-born and raised outreach manager at the non-profit Bronx River Alliance The NYSDOT has presented two attainable solutions to modernize the bridges that are still up for discussion One includes building a so-called traffic diversion connector road with a series of sub-options for its uses including the possibility of a bike and pedestrian path while the second cure skips the connector road and suggests standard bridge repairs instead But personnel argued that construction plans would be reduced by two years with option one and the state has already been awarded a million federal grant to build the connector road spreading fears among residents that the DOT will choose that approach The project is not an expansion of the expressway and a number of options are being considered to accommodate existing expressway traffic and improve bike pedestrian connectivity a DOT spokesperson stated in an email The NYSDOT is committed to robust district engagement at every step in the process and the selection of an option will be informed by general input Option would build a traffic diversion structure adjacent to the expressway NYSDOT Area members have already offered criticism for the current proposal Especially since the traffic diversion structure in option one would pass right by Bronx River Houses a citizens housing complex that over residents call home Presently the air impurity from the Cross Bronx Expressway is so toxic that those of us who live in Bronx River Houses cannot open our windows Ever Norma Saunders president of the Tenant Association for Bronx River Houses reported in a press release The idea that the State wants to make it wider to add traffic and bring it even closer to our homes is like a death threat she added Option one or option two Constructed between and the CBE s five corroding bridges are nearing the end of their facility life as multiple of their steel and concrete parts are deteriorating To tackle the obstacle DOT is working on an environmental assessment that analyzes the possible social economic and environmental impacts of two manageable solutions A draft of the assessment will be published sometime later this year according to the DOT And after a general comment period concludes it will release a final draft with a decision on which approach was chosen The timeline for construction will be determined when this process wraps the department says Option one includes building a connector road to divert traffic between Boston Road and Rosedale Avenue which executives say will be necessary to allow cars to maneuver around construction while bridge renovations are underway After construction wraps however DOT suggests keeping the structure and converting it into a permanent road Those who oppose the addition of the connector road fear that it would harm the Bronx River beneath it and contribute to poorer air quality in the neighborhood The letter delivered by Bronx population groups to the DOT calls option one dangerous and unacceptable Adding the parallel roadway will increase heat to the river habitat they argue and increase the need to manage stormwater which is at present not properly controlled from existing highway infrastructure A hot bed for industrial activity since the s the Bronx River already receives million gallons of untreated sewage a year and residents fear it will face more litter with new construction The Bronx River runs underneath the Cross Bronx Expressway prompting local concerns about the impact of construction on the local waterway Adi Talwar City Limits Industrial warehouses and traffic congestion also contribute to elevated levels of air impurity in the region One latest investigation that tracked air poisoning throughout the discipline of a day located that the Bronx has the worst air quality of any New York City borough To ease concerns raised by the district DOT described City Limits that the Bronx River would be protected via appropriate soil erosion and sediment control measures And the agency promised to conduct an air quality analysis as part of its environmental assessment to evaluate the probable impacts of traffic pattern changes to air quality Plus option one includes a series of practicable uses for the connector once construction is completed that could allow for less traffic congestion DOT s menu of alternate uses for the road include a mix of approaches from having a four lane highway with general traffic lanes alongside a bus corridor to a smaller bike- and pedestrian-only path Still public members aren t convinced They explain in their letter to the DOT that option two which doesn t include the traffic diversion structure is a better alternative The second option would include instead a series of standard repairs to the deteriorating bridges like the Boston Road Bridge And it would add specific smaller structures like a new ramp from the southbound Bronx River Parkway to the westbound Cross Bronx Expressway plus a new roundabout on Sheridan Boulevard The letter does however take issue with particular aspects of that option as well Residents don t like that it includes the construction of a shared-use path along the CBE that would connect the Bronx River Greenway to local streets The path would be unusable due to its isolation and proximity to the Cross Bronx traffic the letter says By adding this extra stretch the state would be saddling themselves with an additional maintenance burden that would only further widen the Expressway s mainline and leave it vulnerable to future use by private vehicles Option would include instead a series of standard repairs to the deteriorating bridges And it would add various smaller structures like a new ramp from the southbound Bronx River Parkway to the westbound Cross Bronx Expressway plus a new roundabout on Sheridan Boulevard NYSDOT Making the connection On the other hand the state argues that the neighborhood necessities to be better connected so that people and goods can get from east to west with more ease A disconnected and irregular street grid plus the fact that Bronx subway lines only run north to south contribute to the dilemma But area and environmental advocates say there are other tactics to get people and goods from east to west without adding more highways The Bronx River Alliance for one is cooking up a list of granular recommendations for the DOT on how to enhance east-to-west connectivity for commuters by improving current streets and adding new pedestrian and bike routes They also point out that the surrounding waterways should be used more as an alternate road to moving commercial goods around the area They urge the city to invest more in its Blue Highway undertaking which encourages waterborne freight transportation by private companies Environmental advocates also note that the city should be thinking of the bridge repairs as a chance to come up with new creative solutions to the city s larger congestion challenge We assistance prioritizing safety by replacing the bridges stated Tiffany-Ann Taylor vice president for transportation at the Regional Plan Association But in the same vein this is an opportunity to think about how we are moving goods and people in our region and if our policies align with our future goals of reducing our dependency on roadway infrastructure she added To reach the reporter behind this story contact Mariana citylimits org To reach the editor contact Jeanmarie citylimits org Want to republish this story Find City Limits reprint agenda here The post I Have Real Fears Bronx Society Members Blast Proposal to Add More Road to Cross Bronx Expressway appeared first on City Limits