Real-Time Corridor Modeling and Health Impact Assessment using Dynamic Vehicle Fleet Composition Data

Urban transportation systems support personal mobility, but are also a significant source of air pollution, with disproportionate impacts on communities near high-traffic corridors. If electric vehicle (EV) adoption continues to increase, pollutant concentration distributions will change, potentially requiring more detailed assessments of air quality and health impacts. Traditional air quality impact assessment for transportation projects employs microscale modeling using the MOVES and AERMOD models. These models rely heavily on fleet composition data (vehicle classes, ages, and fuel types), yet existing assumptions often fail to capture the spatial and temporal variability in vehicle usage. For example, research in Atlanta has revealed that the on-road freeway fleet during the morning peak tends to be a lot younger (and cleaner) than the average vehicle fleet, likely because commuters take their best vehicles to work. This research to be conducted in this proposed project will develop an integrated framework that combines real-time traffic simulation, air quality impact assessment, and health impact assessment to assess the effects of different vehicle fleets on air quality and public health. Using the TransportSim model, MOVES model, and AERMOD dispersion model, this study will analyze vehicle fleet dynamics across multiple urban corridors in the Atlanta metro area for different fleet compositions. The research results will also identify shifts in pollutant concentration hotspots and their implications in spatial health impact assessment across neighborhoods as EVs enter the fleet. By improving the accuracy of corridor-level pollutant modeling, this study will support the identification of strategies designed to mitigate air pollution and protect public health.

    Language

    • English

    Project

    • Status: Active
    • Funding: $50,000.00
    • Contract Numbers:

      69A3552348329

    • Sponsor Organizations:

      Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

      University Transportation Centers Program
      Department of Transportation
      Washington, DC  United States  20590
    • Managing Organizations:

      Center for Efficient Mobility

      1111 Rellis Parkway
      Bryan, Texas  United States  77807
    • Project Managers:

      Ocon, Monica

    • Performing Organizations:

      Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

      790 Atlantic Drive
      Atlanta, GA  United States  30332-0355
    • Principal Investigators:

      Liu, Ziming

    • Start Date: 20250301
    • Expected Completion Date: 20260531
    • Actual Completion Date: 0
    • USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers
    • Source Data: 02-17-GT

    Subject/Index Terms

    Filing Info

    • Accession Number: 01976222
    • Record Type: Research project
    • Source Agency: Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)
    • Contract Numbers: 69A3552348329
    • Files: UTC, RIP
    • Created Date: Jan 13 2026 2:20PM