Effects of the 80 km/h and variable speed limits on air pollution in the metropolitan area of barcelona
In 2008 the regional government of Catalonia (Spain) reduced the maximum speed limit on several stretches of congested urban motorway in the Barcelona metropolitan area to 80 km/h, while in 2009 it introduced a variable speed system on other stretches of its metropolitan motorways. The authors use the differences-in-differences method, which enables a policy impact to be measured under specific conditions, to assess the impact of these policies on emissions of NOx and PM10. Empirical estimation indicate that reducing the speed limit to 80 km/h causes a 1.7–3.2% increase in NOx and 5.3–5.9% in PM10. By contrast, the variable speed policy reduced NOx and PM10 pollution by 7.7–17.1% and 14.5–17.3%. As such, a variable speed policy appears to be a more effective environmental policy than reducing the speed limit to a maximum of 80 km/h.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/13619209
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Supplemental Notes:
- Abstract reprinted with permission from Elsevier.
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Authors:
- Bel, Germà
- Rosell, Jordi
- Publication Date: 2013-8
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Print
- Features: Figures; References; Tables;
- Pagination: pp 90-97
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Serial:
- Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment
- Volume: 23
- Issue Number: 0
- Publisher: Elsevier
- ISSN: 1361-9209
- Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/13619209
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Air pollution; Environmental policy; Urban areas; Variable speed limits
- Geographic Terms: Barcelona (Spain)
- Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Policy; I10: Economics and Administration; I15: Environment; I73: Traffic Control;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01491624
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Sep 3 2013 12:28PM