Two non-profits pushing back on South Fresno State Route 99 Corridor Project

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two section non-profits are suing to halt a road task from moving forward. But Caltrans is warring back.

The tract of the South Fresno State Route 99 Corridor Project is astatine the halfway of the controversy.

According to the website, Caltrans states the intent of the task is to amended postulation operations astatine the interchanges astatine American Avenue and North Avenue and to bring them up to existent standards.

But Fresno Building Healthy Communities and Friends of Calwa person joined forces to writer Caltrans to effort to halt it from moving forward.

The groups reason the interchange volition enactment the buildout of thousands of acres of concern zoned onshore surrounding homes, schools, parks, and places of worship successful South Fresno.

"There's nary inclusion of what's happening to the assemblage members that are facing a batch of impacts from the diesel trucks, the aerial quality," said Ivanka Saunders with the Leadership Council for Justice & Accountability

The non-profits besides reason the task disproportionately impacts underserved communities. Gloria Hernandez with Mothers Helping Mothers agrees it would negatively interaction the families she serves.

"It's inequitable due to the fact that it's going to impact the radical of colour who hap to beryllium the poorest radical and are capable to spend to get the asthma medicine," said Hernandez, "it's going to beryllium unfair."

On Wednesday, a justice took up the contented successful Fresno County Superior Court. Action News was wrong but not allowed to grounds video.

The justice heard objections from Caltrans to the lawsuit.

An lawyer for the bureau raised issues with erstwhile and however the assertion was filed, saying the petitioners did not enactment successful bully faith.

Caltrans has besides stated the task itself would little aerial emissions and amended entree for businesses successful the area.

The justice yet decided not to contented an authoritative ruling, but alternatively instrumentality much clip to see each the facts successful the case.

ABC30 has been reaching retired to Caltrans. The bureau said it's moving connected a response.

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