Assessing the Health and Environmental Benefits Associated With Changes in Transportation Activities in Near-Road Communities Using Low-Cost Sensors

US Transportation Collection2022PDFTech ReportChavez, Mayra CWilliams, EvanCheu, Kelvin RLi, Wen-WhaiUniversity of Texas at El Paso. Department of Civil EngineeringCenter for Transportation, Environment, and Community HealthUnited States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) ProgramUnited States. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and TechnologyCenter for Transportation, Environment, and Community Health. (CTECH) (UTC)United StatesTexasAir qualityBenefitsBicyclingCommunitiesEnvironmental impactsEvaluation and assessmentHealthMapsModal shiftPollutantsRoutes and routingSensorsWalking69A3551747119Final report, 10/01/2020 - 12/31/2021On-road measurements of four pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and O3) were continuously recorded by three U.S. EPA-certified FEM air pollution monitoring devices installed inside a vehicle traveling repeatedly on the same route in a near-road community. Spatio-temporal on-road air quality data were aggregated and compared to data collected at two fixed stations, one residence located 15 m from the frontage road adjacent to Interstate Highway I-10, and another residential site 300 m from the frontage road. The first objective of this study is to assess the suitability of using the spatio-temporal on-road air monitoring data for representing community exposures to transportation-related air pollutants (TRAPs). While TRAP concentrations observed at a central state-operated site appear to be in good agreement with those observed in the near-road community, concentrations in the community may be better represented by spatio-temporal data generated by an on-road monitor. The second objective of evaluating the feasibility of using on-road air monitors instead of near-road monitors is supported by the facts that pollutants primarily emitted from sources other than traffic, such as PM10, display a different pattern than that of the other three pollutants. On-road monitors successfully detected PM10 concentrations near-road as well as in the community that are comparable to the regional background concentrations. PM2.5 and O3 detected by on-road monitors are also comparable to those detected near-road in the community. NO2 concentrations detected by the on-road monitors varied from the near-road monitors due to the complex interactions with ambient temperature, vehicle emissions, and atmospheric chemical reactions. It seems likely that community exposures to TRAPs can be represented by short-term spatio-temporal measurements using on-road monitors. On-road air pollution measurements provide a rapid assessment of the air quality in a community without installing multiple stationary sites.143