I have serious concerns about the proposed widening of I-475, particularly as it would be used as a trucking bypass. A letter writer dismissed the problem of increased air pollution saying, “It is just wrong.” The shift will bring heavier traffic and will intensify the health and environmental burdens on residents.
Diesel emissions are among the most harmful pollutants released on roadways. They are linked to asthma, heart disease, lung cancer, and shortened life expectancy. Residents who live in homes or attend churches, schools, day cares, and medical facilities will suffer and more truck traffic will only deepen these inequities. There recently has been diesel spillage, fires, and trucks hitting sound walls.
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