What is the financial cost of automobile emissions? According to a new study it could be as high as $145million a day.
A study published in the journal Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, found the total air emission costs in 86 US metropolitan areas are estimated at this staggering level. Indeed the areas with the highest totals are Los Angeles and New York City – both at $23million a day.
The study was taken by a team from Carnegie Mellon and Arizona State Universities and is based on county-specific external air emission morbidity, mortality and environmental costs.
Indeed total air emission cost solely due to traffic congestion was found to be $24million per day. According to the authors, the estimates were generally consistent with other literature.
The study however, does not include abatement costs associated with automobile emission controls or government investments meant to reduce emissions, such as traffic signal setting.
