CASE STUDIES OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF TRANSPORTATION MEASURES TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY

Many transportation agencies claim that transportation system management measures are not cost effective for purposes of air quality, although these same measures are used to accomplish other transportation objectives. This contention is examined by first discussing the issues that are important in performing a cost-effectiveness analysis and then presenting examples of the results of 31 separate analyses in 19 different urban areas. To develop consistent and comparable results in terms of the standard air-quality measure of dollars per ton of pollutant eliminated, it is necessary to examine the net present value of the time stream of all potential costs, benefits, and emissions reductions, because transportation measures normally contribute to the accomplishment of multiple objectives. The results indicate that the benefits of implementing transportation-type air-quality measures frequently exceed their associated costs and that transportation measures are comparable in terms of cost-effectiveness to vehicle inspection and maintenance and stationary-source controls. The implication of these findings is that transportation measures have a legitimate role to play not only in state implementation plans but also as part of the emissions-trading program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Media Info

  • Media Type: Print
  • Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: pp 5-9
  • Monograph Title: COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF AIR-QUALITY CONTROL MEASURES AND IMPACT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00384652
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 0309036100
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: May 30 1984 12:00AM