SAFETEA-LU 1808: CMAQ Evaluation and Assessment - Phase I Final Report

In SAFETY-LU Section 1808, Congress required the U.S. Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to evaluate and assess the direct and indirect impacts of a representative sample of Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ)-funded projects on air quality and congestion levels. This study responds to that request by analyzing 67 CMAQ-funded projects, using data supplied by States and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) CMAQ database. From this information, the study team examined the estimated impacts of these projects on emissions of transportation-related pollutants, including carbon monoxide (CO), ozone precursors - oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), as well as on traffic congestion and mobility. The study team also conducted additional analyses of the selected set of CMAQ-funded projects to estimate their cost-effectiveness at reducing emissions of each pollutant.