Modern Traffic and Transportation Engineering Research MTTER MTTER Volume 1, Issue 1 July 2012 PP. 32-36 www.academicpub.org/mtter ○ C World Academic Publishing 32 The Efficiency of Various Taken Measures to Reduce Urban Air Pollution Stelian Tarulescu 1 , Corneliu Cofaru 2 Automotive and Mechanical Engineering Department, Transilvania University of Brasov Eroilor Boulevard, No. 29, Brasov, Romania 1 s.tarulescu@unitbv.ro; 2 ccornel@unitbv.ro Abstract-Brasov is in constant transformation. Since 2007, a number of intersections have been structurally modified. Also in 2009 the city beltway was put into use. This paper aims to analyze the level of air pollution according to the geometrical parameters of intersections and traffic composition. This study is a comparison between the values of the main pollutants from motor vehicles, registered at an intersection, in three different periods, in years 2007, 2009 and 2011. Analyzing the registered values can be said that the main contributor to air pollution is the traffic composition. It is essential that the heavy vehicles number present in the traffic flow to be minimized. Transforming the traffic lights intersections in roundabouts has little effect on the air pollution in urban areas. Keywords-Pollution; Roundabout; Traffic Lights; Composition I. INTRODUCTION As a result of demographic, economic, land use and international developments, mobility is still increasing. Mobility is a necessary condition for economic growth and social development. However, this increase in mobility also has negative side-effects, such as congestion and air pollution. In order to facilitate mobility whilst minimizing its negative side effects, various measures can be employed, for instance the construction of new infrastructure, traffic management measures (e.g. ramp metering, route guidance), land use policy (e.g. compact city) and measures that try to influence travel behaviour (e.g. road pricing). Air pollution in Brasov County is on one hand generated by the fact that Brasov represents a central point of Romania’s transport system with oncoming and going heavy traffic; and on the other hand pollutants are generated by stationary sources such as individual heating apparatus and diverse production processes of goods and materials. The traffic results in gaseous and solid pollutants released into the atmosphere, of which the most notable are: Carbon Monoxide (CO), Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ), Nitrogen Oxide (NO x ), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), Sulphur Dioxide (SO 2 ). Once released into the atmosphere, depending on the current meteorological conditions, these pollutants partake in photochemical reactions, which contribute to photochemical smog formation, resulting in pulmonary condition and respiratory blockage. The concentration of these pollutants is directly linked to: traffic intensity and vehicle type, number and frequencies of stops, terrain configuration, prevailing winds, height and dispersion of surrounding buildings, meteorological conditions which contribute to pollutant scatter [1, 4]. II. THE ANALYZED AREA FEATURES Because of its geographical positioning, Brasov has always been a major intersection of the main routes in the area, linking the Transylvanian, Muntenian and Moldavian regions. Therefore, Brasov has developed in time as a major industrial and commercial hub, being one of the first settlements in Transylvania, with a history that starts before the year 1203. A major influence of the urban area pollution in today’s Brasov, is the geographical layout of the city. Starting as a medieval town, Brasov was strategically positioned between mountains. It was surrounded by Tampa Mountain at S and S- E, and by the foot of the Postavaru Mountain at S-V, V and N-V, having the 1799m high Postavaru Peak not further from 10km away. Although this had proven to be a great way of defending the town from conquerors, nowadays, when the pollution factor is very important for every city, this geographical layout acts against Brasov. Fig. 1 Brasov city air pollution The city had developed from the old town, but still, being so close to the mountain surroundings, Brasov city is in a depression area. This leads to thermal inversion effect, that makes the urban emissions to be trapped close to the ground and fresh air is blocked from draining the urban area [2, 3] (Fig. 1). Although there is no real solution for this phenomenon when we consider the urban traffic emissions, this helps us understand better the importance of the fossil fuel emissions in our city. The intersection Gării Avenue with Victoriei Avenue is one of the city’s intersections with the most abundant traffic flow. Being near the centre of the city, and most importantly being the entrance/exit intersection of the city train station, it is obvious that is a major link in Brasov’s infrastructure. Therefore, the trolleybus line, numerous bus lines, taxi cabs, public transportation with short, medium and long route busses and minivans, supply trucks and minivans, and last but not least private vehicles, they are all passing trough this very intersection in a very weigh number. The traffic speed limit for the each of the arteries of this intersection is 60km/h. Prevailing vehicle type that transit the intersection: compression ignition engine vehicles and spark