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September
1997 Newsletter
Air
Quality Study Hits Expressway
A
1989 regional government study predicts major air quality
problems will be caused by both the east-west and north-south
expressways. The study summary states that particulate levels
will "exceed the daily provincial criterion at about half
of the [111] receptors" examined for the east-west expressway
and will generate levels more than four times provincial
standards near the King Street interchange in Red Hill Valley.
These pollutants will be added to existing pollution. Inhalable
particulates (PM10) have recently been identified as the
most serious air pollution issue in Hamilton. They are already
causing 85 premature deaths per year in the region.
The study did not consider the effect of removing 47,000
trees from the valley. It also assumed a much lower number
of diesel trucks than are likely to use the new roadway.
The expressway will divert large volumes of traffic (20%
of it trucks) from the QEW and 403 by creating a shortcut
between these two highways. The Lung Association warns that
"diesel engines emit 30 to 100 times more PM10 than gasoline-powered
engines".
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