Safetea-Lu 1808

The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program provides funds to States for transportation projects designed to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion, particularly in areas of the country that do not attain national air quality standards. Created by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991, the program was reauthorized under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) in 1997, and again as part of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) in 2005. Since 1991, the CMAQ Program has provided funding to over 16,000 projects, and has been a key mechanism for supporting investments that help urban areas meet air quality goals, encourage alternatives to driving alone, and improve traffic flow. In SAFETEA-LU Section 1808, Congress required the U.S. Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to evaluate and assess the direct and indirect impacts of CMAQ-funded projects on air quality and congestion levels. This study responds to that request by analyzing 67 CMAQ-funded projects, using data supplied by States and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) CMAQ database. From this information, the study team examined the estimated impacts of these projects on emissions of transportation-related pollutants, including carbon monoxide (CO), ozone precursors - oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), as well as on traffic congestion and mobility. The study team also conducted additional analyses of the selected set of CMAQ-funded projects to estimate their cost-effectiveness at reducing emissions of each pollutant.