Assessment of the Impact of Electronic Toll Collection on Mobile Emissions in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area

This paper describes a recent study, which has been conducted to assess the aggregated impact of the electronic toll collection system (locally called M-Tag) deployment at the three major toll plazas in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. The study focused on the reduction in mobile emissions, including hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide, for peak periods. The analysis involved two major stages: (1) development of simulation and deterministic models used to generate traffic flow parameters, including speed and driving cycles for the study areas; and (2) employment of the traffic flow parameters from stage 1 to quantify the hourly emissions. Three scenarios were analyzed to quantify the air-quality associated with M-Tag deployment. The first scenario involved the pre-M-Tag deployment condition. The second scenario was based on the initial condition following the deployment of M-Tag, and involved market penetration levels ranging from 21 percent to 28 percent at the three toll plazas. The third scenario presented the current condition involving approximately 16 percent reduction of nitrogen oxide in the study area. The results were similar for the simulation and deterministic models. It was also observed from the study that the performance of M-Tag system has improved significantly, because motorists are increasingly familiar with the system, resulting in fewer incidents of weaving–related problems at toll plazas.

• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/60711
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Center

  Morgan State University, 1700 E Cold Spring Lane
  Baltimore, MD  United States  21251

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Saka, Anthony A
  • Agboh, Dennis K
• Publication Date: 2002-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Technical Report
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 30p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air quality; Automated toll collection; Carbon monoxide; Exhaust gases; Hydrocarbons; Impact studies; Mathematical models; Nitrogen oxides; Peak hour traffic; Simulation; Toll plazas; Traffic flow
• Geographic Terms: Baltimore Metropolitan Area
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I15: Environment; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01379863
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 7 2012 4:10PM