Residents rally against proposed changes to Hunts Point roads

A state proposal for changes to Bronx roads has been met with backlash from members of the Hunts Point community.

The plan would affect parts of the Bruckner and Sheridan expressways and is meant to make it easier for cars and trucks to reach the Hunts Point Peninsula.

The state DOT says the proposal makes necessary changes to infrastructure, but student advocates say state officials are not taking people in the area into consideration.

Protesters came together at Riverside Park, saying the added vehicles would make for more traffic and air pollution, and also that new ramps on Edgewater Road would restrict access to green spaces in the area.

They say they have come up with their own solution but that it’s being dismissed by the state.

Among those in attendance was Adam Green, whose nonprofit Rocking the Boat teaches kids to build boats and launch them in the river.

"Anything that makes it harder for kids to get to the river is in direct conflict to the work we're trying to do," Green says.

The state DOT released a statement saying, "We have gone above and beyond to engage the community throughout this process.  We have held two open house public meetings and multiple meetings with concerned citizens and elected officials. The federal Highway Administration is in agreement with our plans to progress the Edgewater alternative into the draft environmental impact statement. Our plans also call for increased access for the community to the Bronx River, which was raised as a major concern by this organization."

If this plan moves forward, the state is scheduled to break ground next year.