A study published recently indicates that Angelenos who live near freeways " experience a hardening of the arteries that leads to heart disease and strokes at twice the rate of those who live farther away," according to the LAT's Greenspace blog.
In an endeavor embarked upon by a team comprised of researchers from USC, UC Berkeley as well as Spain an Switzerland, ultrasound was used "to measure the wall thickness of the carotid artery in 1,483 people who lived within 100 meters, or 328 feet, of Los Angeles freeways." Measurements were taken every six months for a duration of three years, and examined alongside "levels of outdoor particulates -- the toxic dust that spews from tailpipes -- at the residents’ homes."
Co-authors of the study agree that the results reveal a connection between environmental factors and heart health; the study seems to be in step with recent legislative moves to put restrictions on vehicle emissions, make efforts to tame traffic, and be more selective with freeway expansion projects.
