01698051

Component

Freight transportation is a pivotal aspect in several sectors in the United States. For efficient freight movement, the road segments that facilitate this movement ought to be in desired service conditions (operational, safety, and environmental) that are capable of accommodating truck and freight needs. Occurrences such as traffic congestion which result from inadequate capacity dramatically increase energy consumption, and air pollution. This study analyses freight intermodal connectors (FICs) by evaluating emissions at the intersections along these FICs. EPA mobile source emissions model (MOVES) was used to estimate vehicle emissions at the studied intersections on a second-by-second basis through microsimulation. Vehicle specific power (VSP) and scaled tractive power (STP) calculated from the second-by-second data is used as input in MOVES. Attention is given to carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), particulate matter (PM₂.₅), total gaseous hydrocarbons, non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions. The results demonstrate that the emissions at the intersections varied with respect to vehicle volume, the percentage of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and vehicle operating modes. An increase in either of the investigated factors resulted in an increase in emissions along the studied FICs in Tennessee. The notable effect of idling vehicles to the amount of emissions was a compelling finding from a volume-weighted presentation of the emissions estimates. Furthermore, the paper illustrates the notable impact of the percentage of HGVs on NOₓ emissions. Findings from this study serve as a stepping stone towards establishing prediction models for emissions along FICs that can be used in the evaluation of traffic strategies related to the environmental effects of FICs.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADC20 Standing Committee on Transportation and Air Quality. Alternate title: Vehicle Emissions Evaluation on Intersections along first-last mile Freight Intermodal Connectors.

19-00283

English

14p

2019

Transportation Research Board 98th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; References; Tables

Carbon dioxide; Exhaust gases; Freight traffic; Intermodal facilities; Intersections; Microsimulation; Nitrogen oxides; Trucks

Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES)

Tennessee

Environment; Freight Transportation; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Vehicles and Equipment

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2019 Paper #19-00283

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 7 2018 9:45AM