Automotive Emissions in Developing Countries: Traffic Management and Technological Control Measures

Urbanization in developing countries is causing an increase in roadside air pollution, which is associated with adverse environmental impacts. Such impacts are most prevalent in densely overpopulated urban centers, creating the need for mitigation strategies. In developed countries, traffic and environmental policy planners are relying on stringent regulations, advanced tailpipe emission-reduction technologies, and complex traffic control measures (such as high-occupancy vehicles restricted lanes, busdedicated lanes, park-and-ride facilities, dynamic traffic light signalization, and hot-spot management) to mitigate excess automotive emissions. In contrast, developing countries may require only conventional or traditional traffic control measures (such as truck rerouting, car pooling, and promoting mass transit) along with affordable simple technological solutions to reduce automotive emissions to acceptable levels, at least in the short term, because of differences in traffic fleet characteristics and transportation infrastructure extensiveness. The present research aims at integrating a traffic model (EMME/2) and an emission model (MOBILE5B) to simulate the emission inventory in the future central business district of Beirut city. The modeling effort will serve as a decision support tool for environmental/transportation policy planners to manage traffic-related air pollution problems. Simulation results showed that, with a proper set of policies and fiscal incentives, simple control measures can reduce total emissions by 45-85% depending on the alternative selected.