Pedestrian Exposure to Vehicle Emissions

Most research on vehicle emissions in the field of transport and traffic engineering has focused on measuring or estimating average vehicle emissions with the objective of reducing total emissions from road traffic. This approach has resulted in overlooking the localized exposure effects on individuals. Signalized intersections and the traffic management policies that determine the cycle settings could potentially influence both total emissions and exposure levels, especially of pedestrians in urban areas. At a traffic signal, with pedestrian crossings, pedestrians are in the immediate vicinity of a large number of idling or accelerating vehicles. The signal timings, the geometry of the junction plan, the type of pedestrian crossings, all are policy parameters that are not specifically designed with consideration of traffic emissions. One reason is that the precise nature of how these different parameters affect vehicle emissions is not clearly known. This paper analyses pedestrian exposure to vehicle emissions and the role played by signal timings. A complex network is coded in a micro-simulation model that allows tracking of vehicle and pedestrian movements and is linked to an emissions data base. The effects of these emissions on the pedestrian paths and crossings are then estimated using an air dispersion model. The suitability of various traffic signal plans and how they impact pedestrian exposure to CO and PM emissions is discussed.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Ishaque, Mohammed M
  • Noland, Robert B
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2007-1-21 to 2007-1-25
• Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 42p
• Monograph Title: TRB 86th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air quality management; Carbon dioxide; Crosswalks; Exhaust gases; Particulates; Pedestrians; Pollutants; Traffic engineering; Traffic signal cycle; Traffic signal intervals; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Exposure (Pollutants)
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; I15: Environment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01043505
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 07-2721
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 8 2007 7:25PM