The Effects of Road Types and Construction Activities on Particulate Matter and Development of Best Practices for PM2.5 Reduction

The research team will evaluate the impact of roads (paved and unpaved roads, and unpaved shoulders) and construction on 2.5 microns (PM2.5) emissions and develop strategies for reduction. Objectives include quantifying PM2.5 emissions from roads and construction sites, identifying high-risk areas using thematic mapping, and designing cost-effective mitigation measures like dust suppression and optimized paving practices. The research team will create a user-friendly decision-support toolkit to help prioritize interventions and assess emission reduction strategies. The project outcomes will provide actionable solutions for air quality planning at both project and regional levels, enabling the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to meet environmental regulations, improve public health, and reduce PM2.5 impacts. The research team will collaborate with the TxDOT project 0-7256 "Monitoring and Speciation of Particulate Matter Under 2.5 Microns (PM2.5) Composition across Texas Counties" to enhance data collection and analysis, ensuring effective mitigation efforts.

• Record URL:
  • https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/Presto/project=0-7257

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $779,595.00
• Contract Numbers:

  0-7257

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Texas Department of Transportation

  125 E. 11th Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
• Managing Organizations:

  Texas Department of Transportation

  125 E. 11th Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
• Project Managers:

  Schwerdt, Tom

• Performing Organizations:

  Texas A&M Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System
  3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135

  Texas Southern University, Houston

  3100 Cleburne Street
  Houston, TX  United States  77004
• Principal Investigators:

  Venugopal, Madhusudhan

• Start Date: 20250915
• Expected Completion Date: 20270831
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Air quality management; Construction sites; Decision support systems; Environmental impacts; Highways; Particulates; Pollutants
• Geographic Terms: Texas
• Subject Areas: Construction; Environment; Highways; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01967584
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 0-7257
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 29 2025 4:24PM