US News & World Report article on Somerville efforts to deal with near-highway pollution

“Fighting for Breath in Near-Highway Neighborhoods” 

“In the neighborhoods straddling Interstate 93 in Somerville, Massachusetts, residents know to keep their windows shut each weekday as commuters travel from Boston’s suburbs into the city, their cars spouting exhaust and other pollution that collects as soot on the sides of houses.

Infamous for its congested roads and rush-hour backups, traffic on I-93 creates significant air-quality and health challenges for residents living near the highway, many of whom are low-income and are more likely to get sick from the pollution exposure, but often can’t afford to move or protect their homes from the unnatural elements.”