DETROIT (WXYZ) — Outside their homes, day in and day out, Southwest Detroiters like Angela Reyes get a front-row seat to the sights and sounds of international truck traffic.
"The rumbling also impacts our houses," said Reyes, who is a member of the Detroit Hispanic Development Corp. "Sometimes at night, I pretend it's like waves on the water."
Around the neighborhood, these massive trucks make it tough to carry a conversation, but Reyes says it's far from the worst of what comes hauling at them day and night.
"There’s a variety of health impacts," she said. "Asthma, cardiovascular disease, stress-related issues from hearing the noise all the time too.”
Terry Wilson, who also lives in the area, says that every two minutes she sees a truck go by, and they're always so loud.
And just like it's been for decades, some have lost hope. However, they've felt despair others are rallying for change.
Residents also say the large and loud trucks are causing an adverse effect on their health, and they hope a University of Michigan research study can help lead to change.
In partnership with the university, a coalition of citizens, community advocates and Councilwoman Raquel Castaneda Lopez are now using research to try to drive home a solution.
“My office pushed during the budget process for the truck study to be done in the area, at a cost of $250,000,” Castaneda-Lopez said.
Armed with fresh data, Castaneda-Lopez and others are now demanding better accountability and environmental justice.
“Unfortunately, there’s neighborhoods that have to disproportionately bear the impact of trucks coming down for the sake of economic development and jobs. People shouldn’t be sacrificed for those things,” Castaneda-Lopez said.
With the Gordie Howe International Bridge still three to four years away, the need for a dedicated truck. routes are now a focus.
“The city of Detroit doesn’t have designated truck routes currently. So, they can go wherever they want,” Angela Reyes said.
And it's a race to address this issue before even more trucks arrive. The next step is a resolution in the works that Castaneda-Lopez is hoping to introduce in the coming months.
