Methodology development for high-resolution monitoring of emissions in urban road traffic systems

Abstract

Transport sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollution, especially in cities. Mitigating these emissions is crucial for both climate change and public health, but current emission quantification methodologies lack sufficient resolution at the urban level to apply efficient measures. This gap is addressed by developing a novel temporal and spatial high-resolution methodology to monitor traffic-related emissions based on real-time traffic data gathered from induction loops installed in road networks.

The methodology integrates vehicle fleet characteristics, emission factors, and traffic intensity to quantify street-level emissions per hour. This bottom-up approach allows for detailed monitoring of pollutants across specific locations and times.

Applied to Valencia, Spain, the methodology enabled the identification of emission hotspots and the detailed assessment of local mitigation strategies. As a case study, the impact of a newly implemented bike lane was analyzed, demonstrating the method's effectiveness in evaluating sustainable mobility measures and their influence on traffic emissions. This tool provides city planners and policymakers with a robust, data-driven framework to reduce urban emissions and enhance air quality.