Bronx residents push back on Cross Bronx Expressway bridge plans
News 12’s Mike Lamorte is in Soundview with their call for help.
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Chants filled the air as dozens of Bronx River Houses residents and community advocates rallied this week, warning state officials that proposed bridge replacement plans along the Cross Bronx Expressway could make their long-standing health crisis even worse.
“We can’t let it happen again,” one protester shouted, as neighbors pointed to generations of asthma and respiratory illnesses linked to the highway’s exhaust.
For Norma Saunders, president of the Bronx River Houses Resident Association, the fight is personal.
“If you look behind you, a lot of our windows can’t be open due to the fact of the polluted air we breathe,” Saunders said.
Every day, more than 150,000 cars travel on the Cross Bronx Expressway, which runs directly outside the public housing complex, according to the state. A National Institutes of Health study has tied diesel emissions from the highway to some of the highest asthma rates in the city.
State reports show several of the expressway’s bridges have suffered “substantial deterioration” after decades of heavy use. The Department of Transportation is considering plans to replace five bridges, which would bring new overpasses closer to Bronx River Houses. Saunders warns that’s unacceptable.
“Add in another lane and coming through Bronx River is definitely going to create a death sentence for Bronx River residents.”
One option under review calls for building overpasses alongside the existing mile-long stretch to speed up construction. But that approach could uproot hundreds of trees along the Bronx River, an environmental cost residents say they can’t afford.
Daniella Rodriguez, who lives nearby, said the community has seen enough harm already.
“We expect New York state to do better. We will not be sacrificed again.”
In a statement, the New York State Department of Transportation acknowledged the concerns but stressed that the project is not intended to expand the expressway, but to make necessary repairs.
“We will continue to listen to the community and are committed to bringing the best project forward with the greatest benefits to the community,” it said.
DOT officials say final plans have not been made, and more community engagement will take place before decisions are locked in. But for Bronx River Houses residents, until the state makes air quality a top priority, they’ll keep rallying to protect their homes and health.
