From Parking to Pollution: Investigating the Effect of 45' Parking on Environment

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effect of managing side-road parking on environmental pollutions (i.e., NO2, CO, SO2, O, and noise). The study was conducted in Makassar, Indonesia, and four roads were selected as they were situated in the city center and surrounded by several business centers. Two roads were selected as the experimental roads and the rest as the control roads. The 450 parking technique was implemented, and the effect was evaluated using 2 (twice measures) x 4 (roads) experimental design. To evaluate the effect, this study measured air pollutions (using the Air Quality Measurement System), Noise (using Sound Level Meter), Vehicle Speed (Km/ hour), and Time of Road Occupancy (second). The results suggested that only the experimental roads showed a reduction in time of road occupancy. Meaning, managing parking effectively increased vehicles’ speed. Also, the 450 parking technique was considered to be effective in reducing air pollutants and noise level. However, only CO that was consistently decreased as the result of the intervention. Although influenced by the parking technique, the other particulate emissions (SO2, NO2, and O3) and noise level might have been influenced by other variables. The parking intervention expanded the vehicles’ moving space so that the time of occupancy was decreased and the engine combustion was more efficient. Parking management indirectly contributed to significant variance of air pollutants and noise. Discussion, implication, and limitations are included.