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Title:

Streamlined Approach to Identify Projects That Are Not of Air Quality Concern for PM10 Hot-Spot Analysis

Accession Number:

01712384

Record Type:

Component

Availability:

Find a library where document is available


Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981

Abstract:

Project-level particulate matter (PM) analysis, also known as hot-spot analysis, is required in non-attainment and maintenance areas for transportation projects that are identified as projects of air quality concern (POAQC). The only PM non-attainment area in Texas is El Paso which is currently designated as non-attainment for PM10. This paper presents an analytical methodology that was developed to determine the thresholds for highway activity parameters that would streamline the identification of projects that are not POAQCs, and minimize the risk that the project is misclassified. Researchers used the example provided by EPA, that is, 125,000 annual average daily traffic (AADT) and 8% heavy-duty trucks, as the baseline for the analysis. They then established combinations of AADT and truck percentage that would result in the same amount of PM10 emissions as the baseline scenario. Researchers used a set of conservative assumptions to achieve a very conservative/low-risk determination. The most important assumption among them was to not use a fixed baseline analysis year. Researchers used the proposed methodology to establish traffic activity thresholds for highway projects in El Paso, TX. Researchers established a baseline traffic activity (AADT and truck percentage) threshold curve which is a conservative representative of the lower boundary of POAQCs. Any combination of truck percentage and AADT that falls below this curve can be confidently excluded from POAQC consideration. Researchers developed an easy-to-use spreadsheet tool that would use user-provided AADT and truck percentages to identify whether a project could be confidently classified as not of air quality concern.

Supplemental Notes:

The Standing Committee on Transportation and Air Quality (ADC20) peer-reviewed this paper (19-05620). © National Academy of Sciences: Transportation Research Board 2019.

Report/Paper Numbers:

19-05620

Language:

English

Authors:

Farzaneh, Reza
Gu, Chaoyi
Vallamsundar, Suriya
Venugopal, Madhusudhan

Pagination:

pp 286-295

Publication Date:

2019-11

Serial:

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

Volume: 2673
Issue Number: 11
Publisher: Sage Publications, Incorporated
ISSN: 0361-1981
EISSN: 2169-4052
Serial URL: http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures; References (16) ; Tables

Geographic Terms:

El Paso (Texas)

Subject Areas:

Construction; Environment; Highways; Planning and Forecasting

Files:

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Created Date:

Apr 16 2019 1:55PM