New Fridge Units Planned for Hunts Point as Congestion Pricing’s Clean Air Efforts Kick In
Bronx Residents Hope for Relief from Toxic Truck Fumes
Each day, as he steps out of his apartment a few blocks from the Hunts Point Produce Market, Manuel Vazquez packs a mask to use as a shield against smoke spewed by trucks rumbling through his Bronx neighborhood.
Historic Asthma Rates
Vazquez, 64, suffers from asthma, like many others in the borough, where rates of the respiratory ailment are among the highest in the country, according to the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. He also has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
A New Hope
Bronx residents like Vazquez who suffer from the lung condition are hoping for relief from toxic truck fumes, but that relief may take years to arrive. A little more than two weeks since the start of congestion pricing — the vehicle-tolling initiative designed to cut congestion and reduce vehicle emissions in central Manhattan — South Bronx residents and advocates say they are cautiously optimistic that promised mitigation measures accompanying the plan can also deliver environmental benefits to communities historically impacted by air pollution.
Mitigation Measures
Several Bronx neighborhoods, such as Hunts Point, Mott Haven, High Bridge and Morrisania, are among those promised a share of $100 million in “place-based mitigation” due to potential increases in highway traffic from drivers looking to dodge new congestion pricing tolls placed on motorists driving south of 60th Street in Manhattan. Another $230 million in mitigation steps is committed for measures that include establishing a Bronx asthma center, renovating parks and greenspace and expanding the NYC Clean Trucks Program.
Hunts Point Improvements
In Hunts Point, the planned improvements center around replacing up to 1,000 diesel-burning transport refrigeration units (TRUs) at the produce market with electric-hybrid or newer diesel models in hopes of significantly reducing harmful emissions from the sprawling facility that’s spread across 113 acres and four main warehouses.
‘Sounds Like a Great Idea…’
According to the MTA, the DOT will procure a company in the second quarter of 2025 to run the transport refrigeration unit program. The city agency must also gauge interest among tenants that operate in the market. But advocates are taking a wait-and-see approach.
Conclusion
While the planned measures attached to congestion pricing may take time to materialize, Bronx residents like Vazquez are holding out hope that the promised changes will bring relief from toxic truck fumes and improved air quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is congestion pricing?
A: Congestion pricing is a vehicle-tolling initiative designed to cut congestion and reduce vehicle emissions in central Manhattan.
Q: What are the mitigation measures for the Bronx?
A: The Bronx will receive a share of $100 million in “place-based mitigation” due to potential increases in highway traffic from drivers looking to dodge new congestion pricing tolls placed on motorists driving south of 60th Street in Manhattan.
Q: What are the planned improvements for Hunts Point?
A: The planned improvements for Hunts Point include replacing up to 1,000 diesel-burning transport refrigeration units (TRUs) at the produce market with electric-hybrid or newer diesel models.
Q: When will the planned improvements for Hunts Point take place?
A: The DOT will procure a company in the second quarter of 2025 to run the transport refrigeration unit program.
