How highways and roads cause health problems in our communities - and what you can do about it.
A critical consequence of sprawling development
and reliance on highways as a principal
means of transportation is tailpipe pollution.
Evidence is increasing that air pollution from vehicles
increases a wide range of health risks.
A significant body of scientific evidence is emerging
that links pollution from motor vehicles to a
range of human health problems including asthma,
lung cancer and premature death.
report summarizes more than 24 peer-reviewed
studies that document health hazards caused by
pollution from cars, trucks, and other vehicles. It
also describes current debates over major highway
projects occurring in more than ten communities
around the country.
Federal transportation policy has long focused on
expanding the highway system as its principal goal.
Approximately 80 percent of federal transportation
funding is spent on highways. But by designing
communities to reduce reliance on vehicles and giving
people more transportation choices like trains
and clean buses, we can diminish the health risks
associated with highway pollution.