Mn/DOT – ACEC/MN Annual Consultant Conference Partnering – Innovation – Multimodal March 1, 2011

1. The New Transformer Sequel:“Transportation Engineer Becomes Atmospheric Scientist”Richard H. Osa, QEP* Mn/DOT – ACEC/MN Annual Consultant Conference Partnering – Innovation – Multimodal March 1, 2011 Earle Brown Heritage Center *with technical assistance, courtesy of Tom Fidler, P.E., Bonestroo

2. Transformers… …Traditionally Tough On All Modes Of Transportation

3. Transportation Engineer Transforms Into… … Atmospheric Scientist!

4. Transportation Engineer Becomes… Because: • Civil engineer • Financial analyst • Public relations specialist • Materials scientist • Supply chain traffic cop • Contracts administrator • Labor negotiator • Et cetera …Just wasn’t enough

5. Transportation—Part of the Problem… While transportation makes possible our complex and comfortable lifestyle, • Transportation demands almost 28% of the country’s energy—most of it provided by dwindling oil supplies • Transportation generates massive quantities of air pollutants: • potential for localized acute health impacts • CO • NOx • PM2.5 (and its precursors) • contributes to regional O3 formation • over half of transportation emissions due to personal vehicles • greenhouse gas emissions add to global climate change • transportation responsible for one-third of U.S. GHG emissions

6. Transportation Planning, Design—Part of the Solution… • Vehicle manufacturers doing their part • aerodynamics • engine efficiency • after a long stagnant period, even personal vehicle fleet fuel economy projected to improve in coming years

7. Transportation Planning, Design—Part of the Solution… • Multi-modal options promise even greater freight transport savings • sophisticated logistical management systems select optimal mode(s) & minimize deadheading

8. Transportation Planning, Design—Part of the Solution… • Deliberate planning methods can reduce VMT, fuel demand, air emissions • Advanced roadway designs can reduce congestion, fuel demand, and build-up of unhealthy air pollutant concentrations • Advanced transportation management policies & technology can also reduce congestion with corresponding benefits

9. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming • National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) • NO2 • PM2.5 • O3 • CO • Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Management • “SIP Conformity” process: new challenges • MOVES emissions model • “Hot Spot” monitoring, assessment

10. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming—NAAQS Atmospheric Chemistry • NO + O3 NO2 • NOx, SO2 PM2.5 (NO3-, SO4-2), “haze” • VOC, NOx O3, “haze” (sunlight)

11. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming—NO2 • NO2 • This one is HOT! • 1/10/2010 EPA adds new, 1-hr standard (100 ppb) to existing 53 ppb annual NAAQS • May affect any combustion source with a low release height and limited “buffer” distance to ambient air • Additional monitoring required—near highways

12. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming—NO2 • EPA is establishing new NO2 ambient air monitoring requirements: • • In urban areas, monitors required near major where maximum concentrations expected • • Additional monitors required in large urban areas to measure the highest • concentrations that occur more broadly across communities

13. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming—NO2

14. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming—NO2 Atmospheric Chemistry I: NOx • NOx is combustion byproduct • atmospheric and fuel nitrogen and atmospheric oxygen under high temperature and pressure • in internal combustion engine exhaust, most NOx is in the form of nitric oxide, NO • In the atmosphere, NO oxidizes to NO2 • reaction rate is largely determined by atmospheric ozone (O3) concentration—the higher the O3 concentration, the faster NO converts to NO2 • NAAQS is specific to NO2; if NO has not converted to NO2 by the time it reaches a monitor (or receptor being modeled), it doesn’t “count”

15. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming—NO2

16. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming—NO2 • National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

17. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming—PM2.5 • PM2.5 recipes: • Primary PM2.5 emissions • SO2 + O2 = SO4-2 (part.) • NOx + O2 = NO3- (part.) • EPA & states regulating both primary emissions, as well as the precursors NOx, SO2, making PM2.5 a triple threat

18. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming—PM2.5 • Particulate Matter • 9/21/2006 EPA promulgates PM2.5 standards • 35 µg/m3, 24 hr avg, 15 µg/m3, annual avg • retains PM10 NAAQS: 150 µg/m3, 24 hr avg • Managing “secondary” particles crucial to PM2.5 attainment • constrains SO2 and NOx emissions

19. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming—PM2.5 • Already very close to natural background concentrations…especially in the western (drier) states • Next NAAQS review is going to be late—maybe proposal in summer 2011; promulgation in 2012?

20. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming--Ozone • O3 • Still struggling with “old, old” 1-hr standard in legacy non-attainment areas • Making progress on the “old, new” (1997) 8-hr standard (85 ppb) • “Phase 2” implementation rule for “old, new” 8-hr standard being contested; resolution expected ??? • “New, new” (2008) 8-hr standard (75 ppb) • Ozone standard is coming frighteningly close to natural background concentrations • Managed by controlling VOC and/or NOx emissions

21. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming—CO & Lead • CO • 1/28/2011 EPA proposes no change to NAAQS (Hooray!!!) • Additional air monitoring proposed • Pb • 11/12/2008 EPA reduced standard from 1.5 µg/m3 to 0.15 µg/m3, 24-hour average • 12/14/2010 additional air monitoring required

22. Today’s Message: Changes Are Coming • Just because a monitor shows NAAQS compliance does not mean you’re off the hook… • Modeling may not be as “forgiving”; modeled violations may pose just as effective a barrier to a project as monitoring

23. So…Let’s Look At Modeling and NO2 Compliance Distance From Hwy Centerline (m)

24. Transportation Design to Reduce Carbon Footprint • Simulation compared traffic flow, projected fuel consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., “carbon footprint”) of traditional signalized intersections with an alternative configuration using roundabouts • Exercise used the VISSIM simulation software

25. Base Case—Signalized Configuration

26. Base Case—Signalized Configuration

27. Alternative Case—Roundabout Pair

28. Alternative Case—Roundabout Pair

29. Transportation Design to Reduce Carbon Footprint

30. Transportation Design to Reduce Carbon Footprint

31. Questions? Discussion?

32. Questions? (if this doesn’t provoke discussion...)