Sponsor
This research was funded by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities, or NITC, a program of TREC at Portland State University. Funding was also provided by the Oregon Department of Transportation Research Unit.
Document Type
Report
Publication Date
9-2012
Subjects
Greenhouse gas mitigation, Air -- Pollution -- Prevention, Traffic congestion -- Environmental aspects, Air quality management, Transportation -- Management -- Environmental aspects
Abstract
Capacity, demand, and vehicle based emissions reduction strategies are compared for several pollutants employing aggregate US congestion and vehicle fleet condition data. We find that congestion mitigation does not inevitably lead to reduced emissions; the net effect of mitigation depends on the balance of induced travel demand and increased vehicle efficiency that in turn depend on the pollutant, congestion level, and fleet composition. In the long run, capacity-based congestion improvements within certain speed intervals can reasonably be expected to increase emissions of CO2e, CO, and NOx through increased vehicle travel volume. Better opportunities for emissions reductions exist for HC and PM2.5 emissions, and on more heavily congested arterials. Advanced-efficiency vehicles with emissions rates that are less sensitive to congestion than conventional vehicles generate less emissions co-benefits from congestion mitigation.
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/11483
Citation Details
Figliozzi, M. and Bigazzi, A. Value of Travel Time Reliability Part II: A Study of Tradeoffs Between Travel Reliability, Congestion Mitigation Strategies and Emissions. OTREC-RR-11-12B. Portland, OR: Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC), 2012.
Description
This is the final report, OTREC-RR-11-12B, from the NITC program of TREC at Portland State University, and can be found online at: http://trec.pdx.edu/research/project/248
The project brief can be found here: http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/18302