Findings from a new study on air pollution found that notwithstanding lower traffic volumes, "heavily traveled secondary highways" may be just as toxic as freeways laden with diesel trucks or major railyards.
Students at a Roseville middle school near busy, 6-lane Watt Avenue "are breathing higher levels of toxic particles than people immediately downwind of the Roseville train yard, the single largest generator of such pollution in the Sacramento area, according to an air pollution study scheduled to be released today (Dec.13).
"It shocked us all," said Thomas Cahill, a University of California, Davis, atmospheric physicist who led the study."
"Those findings spurred Cahill to look deeper. How could particle pollution that is normally associated with diesel soot be just as high along residential Watt as a freeway, with all its soot spewing trucks and buses? The most likely answer, the scientists concluded, was that the particles near the Arden school came mostly from run-down cars burning engine oil.
"A small fraction of cars dominates the automotive pollution," Cahill said. "That's a small fraction of cars putting out very toxic stuff."
Smoke from burned motor oil contains benzo-a-pyrene, the most prevalent cancer-causing air pollutant in California, Cahill said.
"Just because people may live along residential streets instead of freeways doesn't mean that they're safe from the harmful effects of car exhaust particulates, " Cahill said.
Thanks to Jennifer Finton
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.