Bronx Reps Oppose Governor Hochul’s Controversial Cross Bronx Expressway Expansion Plan
- Bronx Reps Ritchie Torres and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are against Governor Hochul's plan to widen the Cross Bronx Expressway.
- In a letter to Governor Hochul, the representatives expressed their strong opposition to the New York State Department of Transportation's plan.
- Torres and Ocasio-Cortez criticized the connector roads as a continuation of Robert Moses’s highway policies.
Bronx Representatives Oppose Highway Expansion
Bronx Reps Ritchie Torres and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are against Governor Hochul’s plan to widen the Cross Bronx Expressway. They argue that the proposed “connector roads” would worsen the disconnection of communities caused by highway construction in the past.
In a letter to Governor Hochul, the representatives expressed their strong opposition to the New York State Department of Transportation’s plan. They stated that this approach counters the aims of the “Reimagining the Cross Bronx” project, which seeks to mend the historical harm inflicted by the Cross Bronx Expressway on local neighborhoods.
Torres and Ocasio-Cortez criticized the connector roads as a continuation of Robert Moses’s highway policies. They emphasized that building more highways will harm the South Bronx’s economic and health conditions.
One planned connector road from Boston Road to Rosedale Avenue is intended to serve as a highway bypass during the rebuilding of parts of the Cross Bronx. The state initially proposed making it a four-lane road with dedicated lanes for buses, cars, and bicycles. Local activists opposed this plan, saying it amounts to expanding the highway and constructing another overpass.
The state Department of Transportation is also designing a second connector road west of the first one. This road is part of a separate plan to repair the elevated sections of the Cross Bronx. The overall idea dates back to a 2004 study proposing a five-mile service road alongside the highway.
Torres and Ocasio-Cortez demanded clear answers from the state on the future of these connector roads. They want to know if the state can repair the elevated sections without a bypass and if the roads can become pedestrian and bike paths.
The Department of Transportation recently mentioned exploring the option to turn the Boston Road to Rosedale Avenue connector into a bike and pedestrian path. However, this is one of three options being considered, with the other two focusing on expanding vehicle space.
A spokesperson for Governor Hochul stated that she is reviewing the letter from the reps.