Studying Air Emissions from a Road Construction Project in Arizona

To help the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) understand and quantify air emissions from transportation construction projects, Sonoma Technology performed a one-year field study to collect construction activity, air quality, and meteorological data near a road-widening project in southern Arizona. Sonoma Technology outfitted construction equipment with GPS units and collected data on the use and location of equipment during construction. Air quality was monitored at two upwind and two downwind sites near the road. Study results will help ADOT estimate air quality impacts from construction projects, identify cost-effective methods to mitigate project-based emissions, and support public and stakeholder communication.
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The results of this work benefited stakeholders by
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<li>Expanding understanding of off-road diesel-powered equipment use and emissions</li>
<li>Improving understanding of construction equipment’s impact on pollutant concentrations near roads, and</li>
<li>Providing new insights into greenhouse gas emissions related to off-road equipment use</li>