Something in the Air: Mott Haven’s Struggle with Pollution
WFUV
By Natalie Migliore
SOUTH BRONX UNITE WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW GARBAGE DUMPS AND HEAVY TRAFFIC AFFECT THEIR COMMUNITY
The Mott Haven area of the Bronx is a pollution ridden community surrounded by garbage and heavy truck traffic.
Mychal Johnson moved to Mott Haven 15 years ago from Chicago. As an organizer, he's helped co-found South Bronx Unite. The organization works for community advancement and betterment of Mott Haven and Morris Park. Mychal fears the neighborhood will face more problems now that FreshDirect, a food service company, just finished building their headquarters along the area’s waterfront. “I think people have no idea about what it will look like to have a thousand additional truck trips added to what we already have brought to this oversaturated intersection,” Johnson said.
There are three highways surrounding Mott Haven: the Cross Bronx, the Major Deegan, and the Bruckner Expressway. Johnson says that this contribute to the poor oudoor air quality in his neighborhood. The highways intersect with five bridges. Johnson points out two schools on East 138th Street and a public housing development where children play outside. Johnson wants to know what the children in the area are breathing in. The Mitchell Community Center has monitors recording the street’s air quality.
“We’ve already installed some devices on top of the building which monitor the air here because so many people live right across the street in public housing,” Johnson said.
