These 15 Schools Are Near Polluting Highways In Lower Manhattan

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — Fifteen schools in Lower Manhattan are built nearby major polluting roadways, according to a new study.

A new study from Localize.city found that 15 schools in Manhattan are within 500 feet from a major roadway — where pollution levels are the highest and put those living or working nearby at risk, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

On the Lower East Side alone, there were nine schools near pollution-spewing roadways — mostly clustered around the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges, the study shows. There were four in the Financial District and two in Hudson Square.

The data can offer insights for parents when choosing where to live or go to school, said an urban planner with the real estate data website that released the study as more than 1 million public school students go back to class this week.

"When parents debate how to rank their child's pre-K programs or elementary schools, they often pay attention to the quality of the teaching, what kinds of art and enrichment is available and whether there's a nice outdoor playground," said Localize.city's urban planner Liat Halpern.

"They might not pay attention to hidden hazards of air quality, even though pollution could have a big impact on their children’s ability to learn. After all, kids attend city schools 180 days a year, often running around at recess every day, breathing in the air — and potentially toxic fine particulate matter," Halpern said.

Air pollutants coming from vehicles along major roadways can impact people living or working or going to school nearby, the EPA says. The agency says there is an increased incidence of health issues related to air pollution, like asthma and heart disease, for people nearby the heavy traffic.

Localize.city's study found 244 schools citywide were within 500 feet of major roadways.

In Manhattan, there were 38 total — with some 40 percent (or 15 schools) in Lower Manhattan. In Brooklyn, there were 55 schools within 500 feet of a roadway, including one-quarter (14 schools) in Sunset Park. There were 39 schools near major roadways in Queens.

See below for a map of the schools, and search Localize.city's database here.