Source: EPA.

Environmental Dimensions of Transportation

The environmental dimensions of transportation sequentially include:

• Causes. Two major factors are contributing to the level of transport activities. Economics refer to the general level of development, income and transport supply. A wealthy population is likely to generate more transportation activities than a less wealthy one. Land use refers to the spatial structure and location of the transport demand.
• Activities. Involve a wide array of factors expressing the usage of transportation infrastructures and all the related services. All these activities have obviously environmental outputs.
• Outputs. Several factors are to be considered. The first outcome of transportation activities are emissions of all sorts (carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulates, etc.). According to the geographical characteristics of the area where emissions are occurring (e.g. wind patterns) ambient levels are created. Once these levels are correlated with population proximity, a level of exposure to harmful pollutants can be calculated. This exposure is likely to have consequences.
• End results. They include all the health, environmental and welfare effects of the exposure to emissions from transportation activities.