Bronx Residents Fight Back Against Controversial Cross Bronx Expressway Expansion

Bronx Groups Oppose Cross Bronx Expressway Expansion: Is It 'Greenwashing' or a Solution?

The Cross Bronx Expressway is getting a major makeover, with the state planning to replace five aging bridges and add new roadways. While officials tout the project as a way to improve transportation and reduce congestion, some Bronx residents are raising concerns about its potential impact on the environment and local communities.

The proposed changes, announced by Governor Kathy Hochul in January, include adding bus, bike, and pedestrian lanes alongside the existing highway. These additional roadways, known as a "multimodal connector", are intended to provide greater east-west connectivity for all users and improve mass transit accessibility. The project, estimated to cost $890 million, would require four years of work starting next year.

However, environmental groups and local residents are pushing back, arguing that the new roadways will lead to increased air and noise pollution, as well as stormwater runoff. They also question whether the new lanes are truly designed for pedestrians and cyclists, or if they are an afterthought in a project primarily focused on cars.

The Bronx Council for Environmental Quality, a nonprofit focused on environmental issues in the borough, is concerned about the impact of the new roadway’s hard surfaces on stormwater runoff. They argue that adding more pavement will exacerbate the problem and that the state needs to implement measures to mitigate its effects.

Bronx Community Board 6, in a May 15 letter to the state, expressed its opposition to the project, calling it "a greenwashing of an additional service road that will take away access and sunlight in a public park (Starlight Park) and increase air pollution in the neighborhoods around the Cross Bronx Expressway."

The state has held meetings with community boards to discuss the plan, but many residents say they are not aware of the project or its implications. Critics argue that the state is rushing the project without enough community feedback and that the plan is too focused on cars at the expense of pedestrians and cyclists.

While the project aims to improve transportation and address environmental concerns, the controversy highlights the ongoing tension between development and community needs in the Bronx. Ultimately, the fate of the project will depend on whether the state can address the concerns of local residents and demonstrate that the new roadways will truly benefit the community.