— Photo courtesy of Tufts University

By Jim Clark

The Committee on Public Health and Public Safety made a report to the Somerville Board of Aldermen at its regular meeting on Dec. 11 regarding its discussions with a representatives of the Community Assessment of Freeway Exposure and Health (CAFEH) Study and the Housing Department of the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development addressing a $675,000 grant from the Kresge Foundation aimed at ways to deal with the health risks to Somerville residents from Route 93 in Somerville.

It was reported that at the Committee’s Dec. 10 meeting, Professor of Public Health and Community Medicine Doug Brugge from Tufts University and President of the Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership Ellin Reisner spoke on the item and explained that Tufts is the primary grantee and Somerville is the secondary grantee of a $45,000 grant from the Kresge Foundation.

It was further reported that much data has been collected and statistical models have been developed. Key pieces of the study are nearing completion and more information will be forthcoming over the next 3-6 months.

The Committee Chairman, Alderman At Large Jack Connolly, requested that the committee be apprised of the plan’s release so that the committee might assist in getting the information out to the public.

As soon as a plan is finalized, there will be a public release.