Measuring Temporal and Spatial Exposure of Urban Cyclists to Air Pollutants Using an Instrumented Bicycle
Increased cycling can make direct and indirect contributions toward addressing both the health concerns arising from sedentary lifestyles and other societal transportation issues including congestion, environmental, and equity problems. However, in the process of cycling for transportation, cyclists are exposed to pollutants that could adversely impact their health. Although it has been found that the health benefits of cycling on an individual basis outweigh air pollution and safety impacts, researchers in the Netherlands found that pollutant exposure during a typical trip can be almost double depending on the mode of transport and specific route. This study is an initial experiment to access the feasibility of using an instrumented bicycle equipped with low-cost air quality sensors to monitor the PM2.5 exposure of cyclists in Atlanta, Georgia. Pollutant exposure is not taken into consideration during the development of cycling networks. This lack of consideration is due to limited understanding of which types of cycling infrastructure may be better or worse for cyclists’ health based on exposure to air pollutants. This study seeks to identify preliminary patterns about cyclists’ exposure based on available route characteristics, such as type of cycling infrastructure.

Presenter: Kaitlyn Schaffer
Agency Affiliation: Georgia Institute of Technology

Presenter Biographical Statement: [biography]