Research
A variety of research has been conducted by FHWA, EPA, and others related to all aspects of transportation conformity. Final reports for some of this research are provided below.
FHWA research is funded through the Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP), which was established by SAFETEA-LU. STEP is the sole source of SAFETEA-LU funds available to conduct all FHWA research on planning and environmental issues.
General Air Quality Research
- Assessing the Effects of Freight Movement on Air Quality at the National and Regional Level (April 2005) - Prepared by ICF Consulting for FHWA, this study is intended to help fill a void in the current understanding of the air quality impacts of freight transportation. This report discusses freight transportation activity and emissions at the national level and in six metropolitan areas (Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, and Los Angeles).
- Strategic Plan for Particulate Matter Research: 2005-2010 (PDF- 2.1 MB) (November 2005) - Prepared by Sonoma Technologies, Inc. for FHWA, this Strategic Plan for Particulate Matter Research identifies priority particulate matter (PM) research issues for the transportation community for the years 2005 through 2010. It updates and expands on a previous Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) strategic plan for PM research covering the 2000 through 2004 time period (Carr et al., 2002a).
- Strategic Workplan for Particulate Matter 2000-2004 (PDF- 449 KB) (January 2002) - Prepared by Carr et al. for FHWA, this strategy document outlines major research covering five topic areas that the US transportation community needs to address. This document was developed by a panel of PM experts from Federal, State, and local governments, from academia, consultants, and from organizations supporting PM issues based on their analysis of a literature review of research conducted on mobile source generated PM.
Links to FHWA's Air Quality Research Pages
