Rally calls for changes near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
Those attending the rally are demanding more sustainable solutions and improved safety, as well as less pollution and more green space.
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Over 100 people who live near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway rallied on Wednesday to call for changes near the roadway.
Many in the crowd told News 12 they’re members of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Environmental Justice Coalition, a local organization calling for an end to lane additions to the expressway.
Several longtime Red Hook residents claim the congestion caused by traffic surrounding the BQE has taken a toll on their health, "I feel like my chest is closing by the BQE, the smell of the fumes triggers my asthma and, I need to carry my pump everywhere I go,' said Betty Bernhard.
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso says he is now an active member of the coalition, and wants this group to control how funding is distributed, and have a say in action plans.
"The coalition will be front and center, and lead the way of planning that happens throughout the corridor will run through the coalition," Reynoso said.
News 12 has reached out to the Department of Transportation to see if there are any plans to create a “safe way” near the road that residents are asking for.
