Respiratory diseases, particularly asthma, surpass the 98th national percentile in the neighborhoods along the Kensington Expressway on Buffalo’s East Side.
Cardiovascular diseases and low life expectancy follow the same alarming patterns. By any measure, these communities are suffering a public health crisis, a fact acknowledged by an environmental assessment prepared by the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT).
The correlation between traffic-related air pollution and disease has been well-documented. Despite this overwhelming evidence, local government officials have disregarded local air quality concerns as DOT attempted to perpetuate the expressway dividing the East Side.
In defending its expressway plans, the government’s talking points focused on “reconnecting communities,” but only a small portion of the affected neighborhoods would actually have been rejoined, with no relief for health concerns. The recent New York State Supreme Court decision halting the DOT’s expressway project highlighted the health issues that arise when superhighways intersect densely populated communities.
Respiratory diseases, particularly asthma, surpass the 98th national percentile in the neighborhoods along the Kensington Expressway on Buffalo’s East Side.
Cardiovascular diseases and low life expectancy follow the same alarming patterns. By any measure, these communities are suffering a public health crisis, a fact acknowledged by an environmental assessment prepared by the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT).
The correlation between traffic-related air pollution and disease has been well-documented. Despite this overwhelming evidence, local government officials have disregarded local air quality concerns as DOT attempted to perpetuate the expressway dividing the East Side.
In defending its expressway plans, the government’s talking points focused on “reconnecting communities,” but only a small portion of the affected neighborhoods would actually have been rejoined, with no relief for health concerns. The recent New York State Supreme Court decision halting the DOT’s expressway project highlighted the health issues that arise when superhighways intersect densely populated communities.
The East Side was once blessed with a park environment. Humboldt Parkway extended from Delaware Park all the way to Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Approximately 150 years ago, city leaders recognized this stretch of parkland as the “lungs of the city.” Replacing this green parkland with tens of thousands of cars that rush through the area daily has resulted in a community health crisis.
The East Side of Buffalo will continue to suffer and prosperity will be elusive, so long as an expressway divides and pollutes it. It is time for city leaders to take a stand. The city should seize the opportunity to be lead agency on reconstructing the Humboldt Parkway and choose parkland and community over traffic and commute.
