Researchers Develop First Comprehensive PM Hot-Spot Analysis Protocol

Submitted by SonomaTechEditor on
Researchers Develop First Comprehensive PM Hot-Spot Analysis Protocol
Clients
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
Investigators from Sonoma Technology and UC Davis, together with participants from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and Caltrans, created a new protocol to analyze near-road PM<sub>10</sub> impacts and determine whether individual transportation projects create a PM<sub>10</sub> hot-spot problem. The protocol helps screen out projects unlikely to contribute to exceedances of the PM<sub>10</sub> air quality standards. Additionally, the protocol allows users to compare a proposed project to pre-existing facilities, use near-road PM<sub>10</sub> concentration measurements as a screening tool, and complete “relocate and reduce, build vs. no-build” assessments to determine whether a project will spatially reallocate traffic to reduce hot-spot problems. The study results:<ul>
<li>Established analysis principles to help agencies assess near-road pollution</li>
<li>Helped planners meet conformity regulations while U.S. EPA created modeling guidance</li>
<li>Built a multi-agency consensus over technical methods to assess near-road conditions</li></ul>
Air Quality
Emissions
Exposure
Measurements
Policy and Planning

Douglas S. Eisinger

Submitted by rspencerdev on
Douglas S. Eisinger
Douglas
S.
Eisinger
Senior Vice President / Chief Scientist, Transportation Policy & Planning
Doug@sonomatech.com
/sites/default/files/2023-02/DSEres.pdf