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Residents and experts urge council to press ODOT for Environmental Impact Statement and greener alternatives
Summary
Multiple public commenters, including a University of Cincinnati professor and community organizers, urged the committee to press ODOT to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Brent Spence/I‑75 expansion, citing recent PM2.5 standard changes, induced‑demand concerns and disproportionate health impacts on nearby neighborhoods.
At the committee’s public‑comment period, several residents and experts urged the council to require or press ODOT to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement for the project and to consider alternatives to roadway expansion.
"I am speaking today on my own behalf and asking that you demand the Department of Transportation conduct an EIS," Bob Hyland said, citing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2024 tightening of the PM2.5 standard and asserting the expansion will "increase PM 2.5 by at least 3%."
Amy Townsend Small, a professor at the University of Cincinnati School of Environment and Sustainability, warned of "induced demand," saying prior freeway expansions have led to increased vehicle traffic that undermines efforts to reduce greenhouse‑gas emissions. "Greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels are the main cause of climate warming," she told the committee.
Community organizer Mackenzie Mason said diesel particulate matter and ozone from expanded highway capacity would "disproportionately" affect neighborhoods such as the West End, Camp Washington and others, and again urged the council to press ODOT to pursue an EIS and consider transit‑oriented alternatives.
Additional commenters reinforced those concerns: Kat Ruger (educator and bike mechanic) described student asthma and urged more transit and bike infrastructure, and Stefan raised procurement and jobs concerns, asserting the steel for the bridges is produced abroad and demanding greater transparency about local hiring. Project staff earlier told the committee the project must meet Build America, Buy America requirements and that the team expects steel to be "made in America."
Committee members did not take action on the public commenters’ requests during the meeting. Committee members and ODOT staff acknowledged the environmental review process and said technical documents, including the supplemental environmental assessment, are available but did not announce initiation of a formal EIS at the meeting.
