Healthier Streets: How Superblocks and Congestion Pricing Can Help Reduce Air Pollution in Washington, DC

Abstract

Cities face big challenges, including environmental threats, livability concerns, lack of new infrastructure, and increasing social inequity, among others. These challenges call for new and innovative ways to address them. Air pollution, a common problem in many cities, causes between 100,000 and 340,000 Americans to die prematurely every year (Fann et al. 2012; Caiazzo et al. 2013; Bowe et al. 2019; and Goodkind et al. 2019) and, out of those premature deaths, 53,000 are due to car pollution (Caiazzo et al. 2013). The Washington DC Metro Area is one of the top 20 cities in the United States with the highest smog pollution, highlighting the need for new regulations to reduce air pollution (American Lung Association 2020). Federal policies aimed at lowering the maximum concentration of air pollutants allowed by the EPA could improve public health, but cities can also reduce air pollution levels through policymaking. DC currently has two main transportation and sustainability plans to improve public transportation, infrastructure, and combat climate change. Cities similar to DC, such as Barcelona and London, have applied superblocks, restricted car access city areas, and congestion pricing policies respectively, aimed at reducing air pollution and improving quality of life. Fortunately, DC has many of the characteristics needed to successfully implement superblocks in areas of the city where residential housing and businesses share space, and congestion pricing in highly congested areas. I recommend the District Department of Transportation to establish pilot programs for each of these policies to reduce air pollution levels in the city.