[sustran] Re: OSTANERA NORTE MAKES NO SENSE

[Obwon]

Christopher Zegras wrote:
> 
> Courtesy of Chipnews www.chip.cl
> April 2, 1998
> COSTANERA NORTE MAKES NO SENSE

  My objection to this project, if I were to have one, would be directed
to human health issues as well.  I suspect that this highway, if it is
going to climb over a hill with residents down below, is more than just
dangerous but absurd.  Here's my thinking:

  We've got this 'epidemic' of poor people suffing asthsmatic conditions
in NY and there are studings getting underway on it.  Right now the
suspects are pollution.  But since there seems to be many cases in the
South Bronx, and since I know that the oft daylong congested, elevated
Brucker Expressway courses through this area.  I add that to my
experience of bicycling through this area many times at various times of
the year.  

  In the summer and winter, when sunlight is strong and the highway is
congested, there are long 1,500 ft pools of ozoneated air along the
adjacent city streets.  Bike riding, being the vigorous activity it is,
I'd bet that I get a really good dosing of ozone.  I know that I'm
slowed down and have trouble breathing for hours after riding through
this area when such conditions persist.

  However, for the people living in these neighborhoods, depending on
which way the wind is blowing and it's speed, are probably subjected to
much longer periods of exposure over time because they live there all
day long, week in and week out.  

  Putting a highway on a hill overlooking neighborhoods presents too
much of a danger that the neighborhoods below will become saturated with
elevated levels of ozone which burns out the lining of the lungs.  Since
ozone is heavier than air, when wind velocities are low, it makes sense
to believe that the ozone will concentrate in the low lying areas. If
people live there, they will recieve frequent doseing with this noxious
gas, which is formed when sunlight interacts with polluted air.

  This would almost mandate that some ventilation capacity be built and
utilized to capture the polluted air at it's source (the highway, which
should be covered) for transport away from inhabited areas, as well as
being treated before it's released back into the environment.  That is,
unless thousands of people don't mind being poisoned slowly.

  Obwon