A novel approach for determining the impacts of road transportation on air quality

In the area of transport and environment policy, there is widespread acceptance that integrating decisions across sectors are crucial for sustainable development. However, adequate tools are lacking for the integration. The model proposed in this study contributes to these integration efforts. Since the air quality and transportation phenomena have spatial nature, the developed model presents the integration on spatial bases using spatial information sciences. In order to verify the concepts, a pilot project was conducted in the Istanbul Metropolitan Area, at the second bridge. Bridges, connecting Asia to Europe, are under pressure of heavy congestion. Specifically, at the second bridge, the national and international freight transportation is conducted, hence environmental impacts are higher. Within the developed model, the expansion of transportation infrastructures over years, and their effects to air quality were modeled. The model was utilized and the results were discussed.