Impact on Our Communities

Children Growing Up Within 750 ft of a Busy Highway are EIGHT Times more likely to Develop Leukemia

In 2004, the Sierra Club published a report titled “Highway Health Hazards” (link).  It summarized a large body of scientific data which showed that

• Children growing up within 750 ft of a road with more than 20,000 vehicles per day are 6 times more likely to develop any type of cancer and 8 times more likely to develop childhood Leukemia.
• Each 10 microgram/cubic meter elevation in fine particulate air pollution leads to an 8 percent increased risk of lung cancer deaths, a 6 percent increased risk of cardiopulmonary mortality (heart attacks) and 4 percent increased risk of death from general causes.  People who live near freeways are exposed to 25 times more soot particulate pollution than those who live at least 1,000 ft downwind.
• Pregnant women who live near high traffic areas experience a 10-20% increase in the risk of premature birth and low birth weight for infants.
• Truck traffic is linked to childhood asthma hospitalizations
• Motor vehicle air toxins cause high pollution levels inside homes

Although this study was already released 12 years ago, Alameda County is about to start construction of the 4 to 6 lane East West Connector highway through several residential neighborhoods, affecting several hundred family homes.

You can download the full report here: http://vault.sierraclub.org/sprawl/report04_highwayhealth/report.pdf .  Of particular interest are pages 6 through 12.

Pesticide Free Community Farming Out; Gridlocked 4-lane Highway In

Community farming is often cited as the way of the future.  However, for our community it may soon be a thing of the past so we can pursue an idea from the 1960s.  The pesticide free Ramirez farm will be evicted to make space for the East West Connector and 400+ new houses.

The Popular Alameda Creek Trail Will be Broken into Many Small Sections

A large 6 lane bridge will be built across the Alameda Creek Recreational Trail.  The bridge will be at grade, meaning that the trail will tunnel underneath.  The trail is already broken up through many of these underpathes.  The new bridge will be located between two already closely spaced bridges.  These underpathes are dangerous as the narrow gravel path is generally very steep at both ends and poses significant risk of pedestrian-bicycle collisions.  In addition, almost every one of these underpathes is a graffiti magnet.  The Alameda Creek Trail is a great asset to our community for recreational activity.  We need to protect it from step by step destruction.

The Old Alameda Creek pristine Riparian Wildlife Habitat to be Replaced by Highway and 400+ houses

If Alameda county gets its way, this view will soon be replaced by a large 4-lane highway and 400+ houses.  The hawks which use this field for hunting will be displaced and the endangered California red-legged frog will have lost another habitat.

This picture shows the site of a future 4-lane bridge crossing the creek

Cut-through Traffic through Downtown Niles, Niles Canyon and Sunol

Historic Downtown Niles is one of our many amazing assets.  With its many street festivals, restaurants, unique shops, park area, museums and historic steam engine train rides, it is a lively family hang-out where people like to stroll and mingle.

As the East West Connector funnels more traffic towards Niles Canyon, significant cut-through traffic can be expected through Downtown Niles as Niles Blvd presents itself as an attractive shortcut to congested Mission Blvd (see dashed line on map below).