Bronx River Alliance Statement on DOT Decision to Suspend the Cross Bronx 5 Bridges Project

BRONX, NY (05/18/2026) (readMedia)-- Today, the New York State Department of Transportation announced its decision to suspend the $900 million Cross Bronx 5 Bridges project, in response to widespread opposition from elected officials, residents, and community groups across the Bronx and city. The state's remaining proposals would have widened the Cross Bronx by another 50 feet, increasing toxic emissions and pollution for nearly 64,000 residents along the sited project area, including more than 3,000 public housing residents living at Bronx River Houses just feet away from the highway.

Siddhartha Sánchez, Executive Director of the Bronx River Alliance, issued the following statement in response:

"Last fall, NYSDOT scrapped some of the worst proposals on the table, thanks to the tireless advocacy of our Bronx communities. However, DOT's remaining plans included a 50ft expansion that would've brought the Cross Bronx Expressway even closer to the 3,000 families at Bronx River Houses, and threatened more than 64,000 local residents with toxic pollution and sickness in the decades to come. We made clear our desire for a fair compromise which would include commitments from the state to mitigate the inevitable impact of expanding the highway. We have always said that we understand that the bridges need to be repaired. The question is how to reduce the harm to the local environment and people who live here.

Our priorities have not changed. We are still willing to work with officials toward an equitable repair plan that protects the health and safety of all Bronxites. We encourage the State to suspend the project in order to conduct an EIS that studies community alternatives for the project that keep the expressway the same size and move it away from residential developments. The news today, that the state is instead choosing to blame the Bronx for its own unwillingness to meet our basic need for a healthy future feels like a bad re-run of the history that got us here in the first place. It's hard to believe that this is the message Governor Hochul wants to send in 2026. We continue to look forward to implementing the Reimagine the Cross Bronx vision through the Planning and Environmental Linkages through deep engagement with the community. As the people who live, work, and raise families along this corridor, it's up to the Governor to show up with genuine respect for impacted communities as decision-making partners."

Before the announcement, the coalition presented several strategies to offset the harms of the state's final design plan and protect South Bronx communities, aligned with the Reimagine the Cross Bronx study:

• Launch a community advisory council to enhance collaboration and community-centered planning around the Reimagine the Cross Bronx vision, ensuring accountability for the implementation of the vision along the corridor.
• Increased investment in community programming ($30M) directly supporting local groups within the project area. Focus areas include:
  • Environmental stewardship, environmental education, and programming that increases high quality access to nature for Bronx residents and youth. Examples include dedicated internships, field trips, stewardship opportunities, and access to guided outdoor activities.
  • Green workforce development programs and apprenticeships to support Bronx residents and youth in securing jobs, pursuing careers, and launching businesses to advance environmental justice, sustainability, and climate resiliency.
  • Expanding community health initiatives such as the Bronx Asthma Initiative.
• Protect and transform E 177 Street into a green corridor ($75-$150M): Fund the redesign of E 177 St to prevent traffic from re-clogging the street, including green infrastructure, pedestrian and bike safety features.
• Invest in non-highway modes of transportation ($20M) to benefit local residents, through surface transit, train accessibility, and Blue Highways freight infrastructure.
• Support planning for a street-level protected east-west bike path across the Bronx through collaboration with relevant city agencies and stakeholders.

About Bronx River Alliance: The Bronx River Alliance serves as a coordinated voice for the river and works in harmonious partnership to protect, improve and restore the Bronx River corridor so that it can be a healthy ecological, recreational, educational and economic resource for the communities through which the river flows.

About the Stop the Cross Bronx Expansion Coalition: The Stop the Cross Bronx Expansion coalition is composed of Bronx grassroots groups, environmental justice organizations, and advocates for safe and healthy transportation. Together, we are fighting to implement a positive community-led vision that reverses the harms done to the public health, environment, and social and economic life of the Bronx by the Expressway. To realize this vision requires stopping new highway expansions along the Cross Bronx – beginning with New York State DOT's current plan to widen the CBE.

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