Empirical Assessment and Modeling of Traffic-induced Air Pollution

Congestion and traffic-induced air pollution are associated with population growth and economic development. Compared with congestion, there are relatively few studies on modeling and assessment of traffic-induced pollution. This paper presents an empirical assessment and analysis of traffic-induced air pollution with real-world data collected from the Hong Kong Strategic Road Network. The study employed historical data of traffic flows, speeds, and emission of air pollutants collated by the Hong Kong Transport Department and Environmental Protection Department. This paper first reveals the correlation between traffic flows, speeds, and corresponding induced pollutants including nitrogen oxides (NO2, NOX) and carbon monoxide (CO). To gain further statistical insight, a regression analysis was conducted on the flow–speed–emission relationship at three air quality monitoring stations, which revealed the significance of various factors on this relationship. This study contributes to green transport management and urban sustainability.