Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition
The Southwest Detroit Community Benefit Coalition’s mission is to assure that the Delray-Southwest Detroit community receives protections and community benefits with the new Gordie Howe International Bridge.
There are many ways you can support our efforts, including signing on as a member or supporter.
Take Action
Sign Letter – No Delays
Report Dust, Smells, Trucks and Roads
Improve Detroit is the City of Detroit’s free mobile app and online tool that makes it easy for residents to report non-emergency neighborhood issues—like potholes, running water, damaged signs, illegal dumping, or streetlight problems—directly to City Hall. Simply download the app, use your location to select the issue, upload photos if needed, and track updates on your report to help keep Southwest Detroit and Delray cleaner and safer.
City of Detroit Truck Issue Reporter lets you fight back against truck violations in Southwest Detroit—see it, smell it, report it! Quickly report idling trucks, illegal parking in residential areas, trucks on restricted routes, or other issues with details, photos, and locations to help city enforcement reduce pollution, noise, and unsafe traffic as the Gordie Howe International Bridge ramps up.
Air Quality Resources
Community Action to Promote Healthy Environments (CAPHE) is a collaborative partnership of Detroit residents, community groups like the Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition, health experts, environmental advocates, agencies, and University of Michigan researchers tackling air pollution as a key public health issue. CAPHE drives a Public Health Action Plan with evidence-based steps to cut exposures to pollutants such as PM2.5, black carbon, and diesel exhaust, fostering equity and cleaner air in vulnerable neighborhoods. Visit their Detroit Air Quality Portal for real-time data, educational presentations, and tools to analyze air quality—empowering community action as the Gordie Howe International Bridge nears its early 2026 opening.
JustAir is a Detroit-based air quality monitoring platform with over 100 hyperlocal sensors across Wayne County, providing real-time data on pollutants like particulate matter (PM2.5/PM10 for dust), ozone, and more—especially valuable in pollution hotspots near highways and industry. Check the interactive dashboard or sign up for free personalized text alerts to stay informed about neighborhood air quality, get health tips, and take protective steps as truck traffic and construction impacts grow in Southwest Detroit.
AirNow.gov is the U.S. EPA’s essential real-time resource for monitoring air quality across the country, featuring an easy-to-understand Air Quality Index (AQI) with color-coded alerts for pollutants like PM2.5 from wildfire smoke or traffic. Check it daily—especially during smoke events or with increasing truck traffic from projects like the Gordie Howe International Bridge—to stay informed about current conditions, forecasts, and health-protective actions in your area via interactive maps and local updates.
Support Us Through Donations!
Your donation to the Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition supports advocacy for residents impacted by the Gordie Howe International Bridge, funding community engagement, air quality monitoring, home mitigations, and access to health resources. Every contribution strengthens our fight for environmental justice and healthier neighborhoods as truck traffic rises—donate today to make a difference.
Resources
The Improve Detroit app (Apple/Google Play) lets you quickly report neighborhood issues like potholes or damaged signs to City Hall by using your location, selecting the issue type, and optionally submitting a photo; you will then receive status updates.
The City of Detroit’s Truck Issue Reporter is a new online platform for residents to easily report problems like illegal truck parking, idling, or restricted route violations, helping the City enforce regulations and refine trucking policies.
Explore Council Member Santiago-Romero’s District 6 Business Directory, an interactive map showcasing opt-in businesses within Detroit City Council District 6. Click on the map’s purple dots for business profiles, which include location, type, and ownership details, and use the filter tools to refine your search. Additional map overlays are available for viewing neighborhood and precinct boundaries. D6 businesses can complete the included form to be added to this resource.
The official Gordie Howe International Bridge website is a vital resource for nearby residents, offering the latest Construction Notices, Road Closures, and Traffic Updates. It also details the Community Benefits Plan, which outlines measures for construction mitigation and community development in Sandwich/West Windsor and Delray/Southwest Detroit. Residents can sign up for the Community Newsletter to stay informed.
Clear The Air is a coalition of residents, community groups, and environmental justice organizations committed to protecting the health of Michiganders by working for everyone’s right to a clean, safe, and healthy environment. Their website offers resources, news, and opportunities to take action against cumulative impacts of pollution in the state. You can learn more about their mission and get involved in community action.
In the News
Southwest Detroit Welcomes New Truck Traffic Restrictions to Improve Air Quality and Road Safety
This article reports on the day the new truck restrictions became effective. It underscores the public health rationale, stating that the restrictions were a necessary step to mitigate the environmental health costs of industrial intrusion, especially since asthma rates in the area are more than double the national average.
Detroit limits truck routes in Southwest neighborhoods to improve safety, quality of life
Reports on the final details of the new truck restrictions, which were set to take effect on October 6, 2025. The rules explicitly prohibit or limit truck traffic on residential roads and key routes like Livernois and Dragoon, aiming to reduce cut-through traffic and improve resident safety.
Toxic air, tired lungs: The cost of growing up in Detroit
This report focuses on the high public health costs of air pollution, noting that the Detroit metro area was ranked the 6th worst in the nation for year-round particle pollution in the 2025 American Lung Association report. It emphasizes that poor air quality, compounded by events like wildfire smoke, is causing high rates of childhood asthma and is linked to serious outcomes like heart attacks and premature birth.
Grassroots organizations work to reroute diesel-fueled trucks out of neighborhoods in Detroit
This article highlights the work of the Trucks Off Our Streets (TOOS) Coalition, which is actively collecting original data using cameras and air quality monitors. This effort aims to create a visualization system that links specific truck traffic events directly to air pollution spikes, generating hard data to advocate for stronger citywide ordinances.
Southwest Detroit Truck Route Implementation Study
This is the official City of Detroit report that provided the technical and analytical foundation for new truck traffic regulations. It served as the central document for rerouting heavy commercial vehicles to reduce cut-through traffic on residential streets.
Community’s Perception on Ambient Air and Noise Pollution: A Qualitative Study
A qualitative study details how residents live in direct proximity to major industrial and commercial facilities, including power plants, a refinery, steel/coke facilities, and logistics centers. Residents expressed major concerns about fine particulate matter and Black Carbon (BC) from these sources and heavy truck traffic. It also notes the ongoing construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge is expected to bring additional pollution.
Identifying Air Pollution Sources in Southwest Detroit
Summarizing a major air quality study, researchers identified mobile sources (vehicles and construction) as the largest contributor to fine particulate matter levels at 40%. While industrial emissions have decreased, they remain significant. The study warns that new, stricter federal standards could push parts of Detroit into “nonattainment” status, requiring mandated emission reduction plans.
Mapping Environmental Justice and Uplifting Community Survival in Southwest Detroit
This report emphasizes the deep-seated nature of environmental injustice in the 48217 ZIP code (often cited as Michigan’s most polluted). It notes the community is surrounded by approximately 42 industrial facilities that release hazardous chemicals like sulfur dioxide and benzene, highlighting how historic and racial disinvestment has compounded air quality issues.
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