Real-World Freeway and Ramp Activity and Emissions for Light-Duty Gasoline Vehicles

There are few data on differences in real-world emissions by in-use vehicles when they operate on freeway ramps compared with operations on the freeway itself. The objective of this paper is to quantify the variability in link-based emissions rates for on-ramps and off-ramps in comparison to rates on freeways. Real-world measurements were made with the use of a portable emissions measurement system (PEMS) for selected vehicles, ramps, and freeway segments. The methodology included development of a study design for field data collection of vehicle activity and emissions, execution of the study design, quality assurance of the raw data, and analysis of the quality-assured data. Four light-duty gasoline vehicles were driven on two routes, each composed of on-ramp, freeway, and off-ramp links. Data were collected for morning peak, evening peak, and off-peak time periods. A PEMS test was used to measure exhaust emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), hydrocarbon (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO). The emissions rates for on-ramps were shown to be substantially higher than rates on freeways for NOx, HC, and CO. Some of this variability in emissions rates can be explained by link average vehicle specific power, which can vary by time of day and from one location to another. The variability in emissions rates by route and time of day indicates that there can be complex interactions between traffic flow, road geometry, and emissions rates. Recommendations are offered for additional study and regarding how these results can be used by researchers and practitioners.