Highway boondoggle in Erie will cut off communities from the Lake Erie waterfront
A new report details why the wasteful Bayfront Parkway project should be reconsidered.
Updated
On September 8, PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center Deputy Director Ashleigh Deemer joined local leaders in Erie, PA to release Highway Boondoggles 7: Wasting infrastructure funding on damaging and unnecessary road projects. The report calls attention to wasteful proposed highway projects across the country, including the expanded Erie Bayfront Parkway proposal, which is expected to increase air and climate pollution. At the same time, the proposed plan will make it harder for Erie residents to walk and bike to the Lake Erie waterfront.
The U.S. spends upwards of $26 billion each year to add to our already sprawling highway network. Spending could grow with the 2021 passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that is expected to invest $350 billion in highway programs.
In her press statement, PennEnvironment’s Ashleigh Deemer noted, “Every time we spend money on infrastructure, we have an opportunity to re-envision the future. We should not invest in highway boondoggles that both exacerbate our pollution and global warming problems, and make it harder for local residents to walk and bike. The projects that we choose to invest in should be ones that are going to make our lives better and help us transition away from polluting cars and trucks.”
Erie residents have been fighting for better pedestrian and bike infrastructure for years.
Opponents to Bayfront Parkway Project voice their concerns https://t.co/kEAUMqMwX9
— JET/FOX/YourErie.com (@JET24FOX66) September 8, 2022
Our report release was warmly met by the Erie media, with news stories on Erie News Now / WICU TV, YourErie.com / Fox 66, and Talk Erie Radio.
Planned Additions for Bayfront Parkway Causes Controversy https://t.co/hLnQztJcJd
— Erie News Now (@ErieNewsNow) September 8, 2022
Earthjustice, representing the NAACP – Erie and Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture), have taken legal action to ensure that the project complies with cornerstone federal environmental laws.
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Authors
Ashleigh Deemer
Deputy Director, PennEnvironment
As the deputy director with PennEnvironment, Ashleigh oversees campaigns to protect clean air and clean water in Pennsylvania. She brings more than 15 years of experience in community organizing and government to her work to win policy change and hold decision-makers, agencies and polluters accountable. Most recently, she worked with colleagues and coalition partners to enact a ban on single-use plastic bags in Pittsburgh. Prior to joining PennEnvironment in 2018, Ashleigh served as a chief of staff in Pittsburgh City Council and organized clean air campaigns for Clean Water Action and the Clean Air Task Force. Ashleigh lives in the Pittsburgh region, where she enjoys gardening and engaging with her community.
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