Examining the Impacts of COVID-19 On Traffic Network and Vehicular Emissions
38 Pages Posted: 2 Nov 2022
Abstract
This study develops a comprehensive modelling framework for assessing the impact of COVID-19 on traffic networks and vehicular emissions considering business-as-usual and lockdown scenarios. This paper integrates an activity-based travel demand model with a transport network model and an emission simulator. The results reveal that during the lockdown scenario, Halifax experiences a significant reduction in vehicular movements by 44% and 68% during morning and evening peak periods respectively. Estimated hourly profile of total emission from MOVES shows reductions of 37% and 64% in GHG emissions by passenger cars were observed in the morning and evening peak periods. The decrease in vehicular emissions clearly indicates the advantages of mobility restrictions on environment. This study will aid policymakers in developing interventions during emergencies. This modelling framework can be further utilized to develop multiple post-pandemic scenarios to understand the change in network impact and overall emissions in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).
Keywords: COVID-19, activity-based travel demand model, emission model, lockdown, GHG, CO2.
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