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August 8 , 2004
HIGHWAY POLLUTION CUTS HAMILTON LIFE-SPANS
The Globe and Mail is reporting that "Canadian scientists have found a startling rise in death rates associated with . living within 50 metres of a major highway and 100 metres of a city road that carries a slew of polluting
cars and trucks."
The study found an "18-per-cent spike in mortality in the Hamilton area among people who lived adjacent to streets carrying 35,000 to 75,000 vehicles daily". The rise in the death rate came from heart attacks and other heart conditions. The Red Hill Creek Expressway is scheduled to carry about 70,000 vehicles a day.
The link between highway air pollution and human health isn't new, but this is one of the more dramatic pieces of evidence that pavement poses a major threat to survival. The researchers believe the lifespan of people living next to major roads will be reduced by about two and a half years! "Basically, that means your mortality pattern if you are 50 years old is the same as someone 52.5 years old who doesn't live on a busy road," said Dr. Murray
Finkelstein. The Globe noted that this is "not far off the life-shortening effects of such known killers as diabetes or chronic lung disease."
The study was published in the July issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology by Finklestein and Michael Jerrett. The Globe article can be viewed at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/
TPStory/LAC/20040806/HHIGHWAY06//?query=Hamilton
FIVE SIMPLE STEPS FOR A FASTER HSR
If we could only speed up transit service in Hamilton to make it more competitive with automobile trip times, we would start to see people getting out of their cars and onto the HSR. Imagine riding the bus and never having to stop for a red light. Imagine entire lanes devoted to public transit. Imagine a series of new express bus routes across the City and eventually even a zippy new light rail transit line or two.
The Hamilton Transit Users Group has invited Hamilton 's Acting Manager of Traffic Engineering & Operations to speak on these transit priority measures work and what is needed to get them implemented in Hamilton . The public meeting is Tuesday evening from 7 to 8:30 pm in room 110 of City Hall. For more information contact 905-308-9183 or transit@environmenthamilton.org.
TREE-SITTERS FESTIVAL DRAWS OVER 200 PEOPLE
Thursday's Red Hill Literary Festival brought over 200 people into the valley to support the tree-sitters. It also generated a lot of positive media coverage - for a change. The festival was even a news item on CBC and CHML, and several articles were published in the Hamilton Spectator. We understand that this has further infuriated pro-expressway elements and that they have been calling the reporters to complain. Media who tell the truth also often face pressure from their editors, another good reason why citizens should make sure they praise them when accurate articles appear.
The tree-sit is now into its ELEVENTH week!
DETERIORATING ROADS
A report to city council this week says only 59% of Hamilton 's existing roads were classified as being in good condition in 2003. That's down from 70% two years earlier. The report candidly admits that the decline "is a result of insufficient funding to maintain sustainability in a quality roads network." Of course, it doesn't mention that over half the roads budget is being spent on building the expressway.
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