Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 13.13
New York city population living in the traf
c pollution risk zone
New York City
borough
Total population in
risk ZDne
18 years and
younger
65 years and over
Minority
Bronx
218,900
44,700
24,900
143,200
Brooklyn
595,700
158,800
41,300
399,100
Manhattan
1,217,700
204,000
149,200
515,400
Queens
379,300
85,200
51,800
211,700
Staten Island
36,300
9,300
4,100
6,200
Total
2,447,900
521,000
291,300
1,274,600
Source
Reference [
37
], p 5, Table 1
“
Multiple studies have found serious health effects from exposure to heavy-duty
diesel trucks, including increased mortality rates. Diesel emissions on busy
roads have been associated with triggering asthma attacks, and may play a role
in the initial onset of asthma
”
[
48
].
Beijing
Guo et al. [
49
] estimated the heavy traf
c impacts on air quality and health of
Beijing
. The annual rate of motor vehicle growth has steadily accelerated from
about 300,000 in 1989 to 3,500,000 in 2008.
This rapid increase in vehicle registration has caused severe traf
c congestion. In
2008 the average traf
c speed in the morning and afternoon peak periods were
reported at 15.4 mph (24.7 kmph) and 13.9 mph (22.3 kmph) respectively.
Road transport-related air pollution was attributed to 3,413 deaths 2004. It also
accounted for 16,030 episodes of acute bronchitis, 4,900 cases of chronic bron-
chitis, 598 cardiovascular hospital admissions, and 19,159 cases of asthma attack.
13.3 Implication
Growing motor vehicle use in metropolitan areas has increased traf
c congestion.
The consequences of this congestion include increases in the cost of doing business;
increases in crashes and fuel consumption, high levels of air pollution harmful to
human health, and a degradation in the quality of life. Reducing congestion,
therefore, will reduce travel costs, crashes, fuel consumption, and will improve air
quality and human health.
References
1. NGA Report
2. The Positive Impacts of Transportation Investment (2002) NCHRP Project 8-36, Task 22,
Final Report, Working Paper 4
—
Compilation of Working Papers. Cambridge Systematics,
Transportation Research Board
