Analysis of Changes in Traffic Volumes and Near-Road Air Pollutant Levels Resulting from Coronavirus Pandemic Stay-at-Home Policies
Focus Area
Air Quality
Subcommittee
Air Quality
Status
Archived
Cost
$250k-$499k
Timeframe
1-2 years
Research Idea Scope
Traffic volumes dropped substantially across the nation as a result of stay-at-home policies implemented during the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in improved air quality which in turn can lead to improved health for sensitive populations. This study would review available US DOT national traffic data and EPA near-road air quality monitoring data to assess and document the changes, and assess how well EPA air quality emission and dispersion models perform in predicting the changes in near-road concentrations as a result of the changes in traffic. The results would inform future transportation and air quality planning efforts.
Urgency and Payoff
Could provide additional insight into background concentrations vs road contribution – better evaluation of projects.
Submitted
05/11/2020