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Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)

A USDOT University Transportation Center

Reduction in Number of Motor Vehicles Commuting in an Area

A reduction in the number of vehicles is a measurable indicator of the amount of green space in an area. The indicator reveals that if fewer vehicles exist, commuters will engage in active transport such as walking and biking, which can encourage greater green space provision by the local government and urban planners. However, the existence of more vehicles results in decreased green space because vehicles are considered to occupy much more space and pollute the air. A reduction in the number of vehicles is a metric that provides insights into measures that have been put in place to encourage commuters to engage in active transportation and plant more trees so that the amount of green space can be increased.1

This indicator helps determine the effectiveness of the following objectives

  • Less Contamination
  • Less Emissions
  • Less Traffic Noise
  • Connectivity and Inclusion
  • Healthy Destinations
  • Less Traffic Violence
  • Active Transportation
  • Green Space

Data Collection

Data on the number of vehicles can be collected from several databases. For example, the Department of Motor Vehicles has a special database that stores data on the number of vehicles on the road. Also, the National Vehicle Database uses various methods to collect data on the number of vehicles on the road. These include manual counts, electronic counts, and surveys. The NVD’s data is based on estimates from various sources, including state and federal agencies, insurance companies, and police reports.
A sensor is also a useful tool for data collection of the number of vehicles. The sensor collects data on the number of vehicles on the road by counting the number of vehicles that pass by the sensor. The data is then transmitted to a central database where transportation officials can access it.2,3

Examples

A Study on the Model of Traffic Flow and Vehicle Exhaust Emission

A study conducted by scientists from the University of York and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry analyzed data from more than 1,000 sites around the world. They found that exhaust fumes from vehicles contain several harmful chemicals, including nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, and particulate matter, and an increasing number of vehicles will result in the emission of more exhaust fumes. The research suggested that if there is a reduction in the number of vehicles, there will be fewer gas emissions resulting in a greener environment, which greatly affects climate change.

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/mpe/2013/736285/

1. Williams, B. More green space, fewer cars are “visions” for 20 years in La Crosse’s future [Internet]. WIZM 92.3FM 1410AM. 2021 [cited 2022 Aug 10]. Available from: https://www.wizmnews.com/2021/09/21/more-green-space-fewer-cars-are-visions-for-20-years-in-la-crosses-future/
2. National Vehicle Database [Internet]. Nationalvehicledatabase.org. [cited 2022 Aug 10]. Available from: https://nationalvehicledatabase.org/
3. Vehicle Sensing [Internet]. Windmill Software. [cited 2022 Aug 10]. Available from: https://www.windmill.co.uk/vehicle-sensing.html