Some of the wealthiest areas in the Big Apple are the most polluted, but that's primarily because more traffic passes through those neighborhoods than in others, according to a new study of New York City air quality.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration is collecting air samples at 150 locations throughout the city, for two weeks during each of the four seasons. Monitors attached to light polls take the samples.
The first results from last December through March 2009 show wintertime pollution levels were highest in Manhattan and other high-traffic areas.
While it may not be surprising that the highest trafficked spots in Manhattan have the most population, the findings provide a stark contrast to reports that it leads all other boroughs in terms of economic and social well-being, according to The New York Times.
Those who live in the area, including Bloomberg, were taken aback.
"There are wealthy neighborhoods where the map is really surprising," Bloomberg told reporters yesterday in Copenhagen, according to the Daily News.
Another Upper East Side resident told the paper she was shocked by the findings considering her proximity to Central Park.
"That's one more thing to worry about," Liz Lighton, a clothing designer, told the News.
The survey shows there is also more pollution in neighborhoods with a greater concentration of buildings that have oil-burning boilers.
The American Lung Association says the survey will play an important role in identifying pollution sources and finding solutions to better air quality.
Results from other seasons will be released later.
