Emisiones vehiculares en el área metropolitana de la Ciudad de México

Abstract

A vehicular emissions evaluation is made for main pollutants, based on traffic volumes and emission values. This latter obtained as a function of traveled distances as well as average speeds developed on the different streets. The main streets considered as line sources, contribute with 78% of the total emission produced by internal combustion engines. Slow traffic streeets are responsible for the 44% and the ones considered as half-speed streets, for the 6%, since they are only a few. Express-ways, in spite of their lenght and large traffic-volume, contribute only with 28% of the total. Emission densities (ton/km² days) are compared with Washington, D. C. emission densities. It is shown that speed is an important factor which must be taken into account when designing streets in order to reduce traffic impact on air pollution. It can be seen that human activities arc too centralized in Mexico City, this leading to transportation to and from major activity points has a marqued effect on air quality.