Emission Benefits from Alternative Land Use Development (Phase I)

Abstract

Single-use, low-density developments create an increased demand for automobiles and roads. Changes in land use influence the location of transportation improvements. Alternative land use projects decrease the amount of pollutants released into the atmosphere, save annual fuel use, and help mitigate traffic congestion. This study was conducted to understand the needs and demands that define these projects in order to accurately quantify emission benefits to be gained from reduced use of road vehicles as a result of alternative land use developments. It was concluded that transit-oriented development projects are more successful at removing single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) from the road, and will therefore be the initial focus. The current methodology used to quantify air quality benefits from alternative land use projects was investigated in order to develop a new methodology that will address alternative transit oriented development projects in the Dallas-Fort Worth 8-hour ozone nonattainment regions for Phase II.