A Rally & March on East Ferry St. & Humboldt Parkway

By Betty Jean Grant

Pictured with Betty Jean Grant are Sherrie Sherrell and other supporters, as well as Terry Robinson, below.

Terry Robinson

It was a cold and sunny day with a brisk wind but that did not deter the marchers from coming out last Saturday, April 20th, to support the residents of Humboldt Parkway in opposing the decision to put a tunnel on the 33 Expressway located near their home.

A goodly number of community activists, some of them on bikes or in wheelchairs, walked or rode in a March with Humboldt Parkway residents to demand that the governor and NYSDOT listen to the homeowners, those have been sickened by the toxins from the many vehicles, to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement before any construction activity starts on Humboldt Parkway.

It is a recommended and most times, a required procedure for the local or state government to conduct these kinds of health studies or assessments be done before a project is started to protect the environment and the citizens. At least 20 homeowners or their tenants or family members have become sick, including some who have died from Asthma, COPD, Lupus, Cancer, heart diseases, kidney disease and other that can.be attributed to residents living so close to the carbon monoxide emitting Expressway.

One can only imagine how so much worse the residents’ health will be if the Buffalo area, NYS elected representatives go ahead with their tunnel project that has almost zero community support. The Eastside Community and the homeowners on Humboldt Parkway want the Expressway removed and Humboldt Parkway restored to it natural, original beauty by filling in the area with beautiful, majestic trees.

We, the people do not want a 3/4 of a mile tunnel, covered with a faux park of small, puny trees with roots that grow sideways and have to be replanted every 30 years to repair the anticipated wear and tear on the tunnel roof below them.