Vehicle-induced air pollution and noise from traffic on a local scale are determined by the volume of road traffic and the spatial distribution of traffic flows. The Dutch National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) uses the Prognosis model for developments in local traffic Intensities (PION model) to simulate the developments in volume and distribution of road traffic. New insights gained in a study on the spatial distribution of traffic intensities based on an analysis made in eight Dutch cities have indicated the following: an increased concentration of traffic flows on the main roads, and a shifting of traffic intensities from the city centre to the outskirts. These trends have been incorporated into the PION model to improve the prognosis of vehicle-induced air pollution and traffic noise in built-up environments. (A)
Abstract