HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/11/2013 - Air Quality And Transportation Corridor Planning - Air Quality Advisory Board11 October 2013
TO: Ross Cuniff
FROM: Rich Fisher, Chair, Air Quality Advisory Board
CC: Melissa Hovey
AQAB Members
RE: Air Quality and Transportation Corridor Planning
During recent briefings to our Board by the City transportation planning staff, we find
that major transportation planning actions, e.g., MAX, Lincoln and Harmony corridors,
lack comprehensive air quality analyses. City staff should be directed to perform detailed
air quality assessments for these major developments.
The City’s air quality is directly and significantly affected by transportation and
associated development. Therefore, because our City strives to continually improve air
quality, we recommend that a comprehensive, quantitative air quality assessment be
conducted for each proposed transportation alternative of major planning actions.
Air quality is an essential component of transportation planning because:
Fort Collins is in a non-attainment area for ozone. Transportation emissions are a
significant local contributor to the precursors for the formation of ozone. Proper
planning could reduce these emissions and the time of day they are emitted.
Emissions from vehicle and associated development can be reduced by these and
other actions:
o Adjusting vehicle/bicycle/pedestrian mix by time of day,
o Accessibility to public transportation,
o Reducing total vehicle miles travelled,
o Maintaining traffic flow at an efficient speed, and
o Defining the types of businesses and access to these businesses together
with a residential mix along the corridor.
The emissions from nearby area sources, especially oil and gas and other urban
areas affects Fort Collins now. These will increase in time.
With essential data, models and experts are readily available to comprehensively evaluate
the effects of the various transportation and associated growth alternatives on air quality.
Without this information, the AQAB cannot appropriately advise Council on planning
and development alternatives.
The AQAB stands ready to further advise Council on this important issue.