Urban highways degrade the health of our communities.
Noise Pollution
Noise pollution has been linked with hypertension, dementia, and loss of sleep.
2.5x
More likely to be hospitalized with asthma if you live near a highway
2.8 million
The number of students evaluated as part of a Yale study that found that traffic pollution negatively impacts childhood test scores
6,400
Minnesotans die with air pollution as a contributing factor each year
Traffic Pollution
Exposure to traffic pollution, including tailpipe emissions and tire and brake wear, has been linked to a wide range of human health issues. This includes an increased risk of childhood asthma, stunted lung growth, cancer, dementia, heart attack, and stroke.
Environmental Racism
Urban highways were intentionally routed through communities of color, often targeting Black neighborhoods. Today those same communities are disproportionately impacted by highway pollution. Residents in racially diverse neighborhoods like Elliot Park and East Rondo have life expectancies over a decade shorter than other Twin Cities communities.
Sacrifice Zones
Sacrifice zones are places where the severe health impacts for some communities is deemed as an acceptable trade-off for the convenience of others. The closer a person lives to a major highway, the greater the risk to their health.
Climate Breakdown
The health impacts of urban highways are expected to worsen as climate change worsens. Wildfire smoke is expected to become more severe and frequent. Freeway pavement contributes to urban heat island effects. Extreme heat worsens the human impacts of traffic pollution, generating smog and making pollutants more potent.
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