Astoria is one of the prime neighborhoods of New York City, as evidenced by the enormous housing development boom that has occurred in the area during the past couple of years. Its appeal lies in its diverse population, the proximity of the neighborhood to Manhattan, and the multitude of its ethnic restaurants.

However, being located at one of the crossroads of the city, the people of Astoria are faced with health problems, resulting from the tremendous air pollution in the area. One of the major causes of Astoria’s air pollution is its transportation network.

Astoria is the home of LaGuardia Airport, one of the largest airports in the United States. As a result, the air fuel fumes from the airplanes that are constantly flying over Astoria are a major contributor to the neighborhood’s air pollution.

Traffic caused by people who are traveling to and from the airport is also a problem. According to Lucille T. Hartmann, the district manager of Queens Community Board One, it is not uncommon for people to drive their cars into the area to park them and then, take the M60 bus to the airport.

In addition to the airport traffic, traffic to Astoria is increased by its location relative to major transportation connections. The area provides access to the Grand Central Parkway, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, the Queensborough Bridge, and the Midtown Tunnel.

The issues involved with increased traffic are further aggravated by Astoria’s limited public transportation. There is only one subway line that extends to Astoria, the N line. In addition, there are four bus routes in the area, the Q69, Q100, Q19, and Q101. However, these bus routes run along the perimeter of the neighborhood and fail to provide service within the actual area.

The result is that the residents of Astoria must either take their cars to wherever they need to go, or take their cars to the train stations. According to Lynne Serpe, a leading Queens environmental activist and a candidate for a seat on the City Council, “People have no other choice but to take their cars to get them where they need to go.”

A major problem with the limited public transportations system that is currently in place is that of limited accessibility. The train line in Astoria is elevated. However, there are no elevators or escalators to provide access to those who are handicapped or have difficult taking the stairs, such as the elderly.

Other complaints about the public transportation system included that the trains and buses do not come frequently enough and they are always crowded. The result of all these factors is that people take their cars. As someone who has worked on the community board for 30 years, Lucille Hartmann notes that “we [Astoria residents] use our cars here.”

The result of all of this air pollution is that area residents are experiencing several types of health problems. One of the major health problems of the area is the elevated asthma rate, which has led to Astoria’s nickname of “asthma valley.” According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, annual rate of hospitalizations for asthma in children ages 0-9 is 557 people per every 100,000 people.

Another major health issue in Astoria is the increased levels of lung cancer. Among all the major types of cancer occurring in the neighborhood only the lung cancer rate is higher than the national average. For adults ages 45-64, the annual rate per 100,000 people in Astoria is 89 compared to the New York City rate of 82. For people ages 65 and above, the annual rate is 297 people per every 100,000 compared to the New York City rate of 280.

According to a neighborhood health profile compiled by the NYCDOH, one of the leading causes of death of people aged 65 and above, is chronic lower respiratory disease, which occurs in the neighborhood at a rate of 139 people per 100,00 people annually.

However, the main problem is that there is a lack of action on the part of community leaders. Ms. Hartmann stated during an interview that nothing is currently being pursued in terms of adding new routes of public transportation to the neighborhood. The only thing that the community board was pursuing was an increase in the number of trains and buses coming into the area through current transportation routes.

“Things are going to get far worse here,” stated Maria Gavila, an Astoria resident when asked what she thought about the future of air pollution in the area. With factories still being allowed to be built in Astoria and the prospect of new projects such as having a FedEx depot located in Astoria, the causes for air pollution seem to be growing.

Furthermore, Lucille Hartmann fears that if Mayor Bloomberg is able to pass his zoning laws for Manhattan, traffic will increase even further because people will try to bypass the tolls by going through the outer boroughs.

With air pollution causing so many health problems and local officials doing nothing to prevent further damage, the community is at risk. By allowing more projects to be proposed that could increase air pollution, local community leaders are ensuring that the area take a turn for the worst sooner. These ill-made decisions make residents question whether Astoria will remain one of the prime neighborhoods of New York City or if it will be permanently known as “asthma valley.”

Sources:

1. Lucille Hartmann, Director Manager of Queens Commuity Board 1 – (718)786-3335

2. Lynne Serpe, Candidate for City Council whose entire platform is based on environmental issues – (718)606-0158

3. Maria Gavila – civilian off the street, could not get phone number