Advocates urge state to nix Cross Bronx Expressway expansion plan ahead of crucial deadline | amNewYork

"We are calling on Governor Hochul and New York state to halt any expansion and prioritize the health of Bronx communities, before it's too late, said Renee Reynolds, executive director of Tri-State Transportation Campaign, during the news conference."

"The $900 million plan, known as the Five Bridges Project, aims to rehabilitate several of the highway's overpasses between Rosedale Avenue and Boston Road. However, the proposal will also expand the road by widening each shoulder by 25 feet, increasing its footprint by a combined 50 feet, in order to meet current safety standards."

"Widening a highway doesn't inherently enhance safety by any means, she said. In fact, it actually induces more vehicular congestion. The advocates charged that NYSDOT is pushing through a plan that does not adequately account for its potential impacts on communities surrounding the highway."

Advocates against the Cross Bronx Expressway widening project called on Governor Kathy Hochul and NYSDOT to abandon the $900 million Five Bridges Project before submitting its final environmental determination to the federal government. The project aims to rehabilitate overpasses between Rosedale Avenue and Boston Road while expanding the road by widening each shoulder by 25 feet to meet safety standards. Opponents argue that widening the highway will increase congestion and exacerbate pollution affecting adjacent communities. They challenge NYSDOT's claim that shoulder widening enhances safety, contending it induces more vehicular traffic. Advocates also assert that NYSDOT has not adequately considered community impacts and has ignored alternative rehabilitation plans.

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