Effect of New York City taxi strike on CO concentrations in midtown Manhattan
An analysis of the relationship between CO concentrations observed at a mid-Manhattan monitoring site, traffic counts, and wind speed measurements before, during, and after the 1970 New york City taxicab strike is reported. The analysis shows that although CO vehicle emissions in midtown Manhattan were reduced by 34% during the 1970 New York City taxi strike, the atmospheric measurements taken at the E. 45th Street monitoring site did not fully reflect this reduction. After adjustment for wind speed, the maximum 8 hr average CO concentration at this site was found to decrease by 19% for wind speeds of 10 to 15 mph during the strike. However, for lower wind speeds this reduction in CO concentration was less, becoming only a few percent for the lowest wind speed considered. The highest CO concentrations in midtown Manhattan are observed at low wind speeds and it is these observations that relate to the CO National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) defined as an 8 hr average CO concentration not to be exceeded more than once a year. In other words, it could be concluded from these data that a large reduction in CO vehicle emissions, such as that caused by the taxi strike, would do little to help midtown Manhattan achieve the CO NAAQS. Such a conclusion is at best misleading and in large part incorrect. The observed behavior of the CO air quality measured at E. 45th Street during the taxi strike is explainable by use of the two component model of local and area CO concentration terms and conversely can be taken as a further validation of this methodology for air quality predictions of urban center CO concentrations. Data from urban center monitoring sites are used to estimate adverse health effects resulting from population exposure to elevated CO concentrations.
- Research Organization:
- Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, MI
- OSTI ID:
- 5390856
- Journal Information:
- J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Vol. 29:8
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Effect of New York City taxi strike on CO concentrations in midtown Manhattan
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Related Subjects
AIR POLLUTION
MONITORING
AUTOMOBILES
CARBON MONOXIDE
EXHAUST GASES
IMPLEMENTATION
METEOROLOGY
NEW YORK CITY
POLLUTION SOURCES
STANDARDS
VELOCITY
WIND
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
GASEOUS WASTES
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
USA
VEHICLES
WASTES
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)