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192 � Transportation Statistics Annual Report 1996
BOX 8-5: NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION:
STRATEGIES FOR CONFORMING TO FEDERAL CLEAN AIR STANDARDS
The Washington, DC, metropolitan area, which contains parts of Maryland and Virginia, is one of the fastest growing
areas on the East Coast. Its most rapid growth is occurring on the metropolitan periphery. Vehicle-miles traveled
are projected to grow by 76 percent by 2020, substantially faster than projected growth in either households or jobs. 1
The metropolitan area is designated a serious nonattainment area for ground-level ozone pollution. For this
reason the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), which serves as the metropolitan planning
organization (MPO) for the region, was required under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 to submit a
plan to achieve a 15 percent reduction in emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC). As part of the planning
process, TPB analyzed the potential to reduce emissions and the relative costs of 59 transportation control measures
(TCMs). 2
The TCMs finally included in the plan had potential
to reduce emissions, were relatively low in cost, and
could be implemented quickly to meet reductions
deadlines. One immediate TCM action was to allow
right turns on red throughout the metropolitan
region—a step estimated to reduce VOC by 0.39 tons
per day at a cost of only $236 per ton.
Another TCM, funded for the 1996 to 2001 transportation
improvement plan (TIP), is a ridesharing
incentive program to upgrade the existing “Ride
Finder” matching system and to establish satellite
ridesharing associations at major employment centers.
This measure is projected to lower VOC and
nitrogen oxides emissions by 0.07 and 0.16 tons per
day, respectively, at costs of about $13,000 per ton.
Another TIP measure will promote telecommuting
through educational programs, technical assistance,
PROJECTED TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS
FOR THE COG-MODELED AREA
2020
2020 technology TCMs
1990 technology and TCMs a alone
HC (tons/day) 225.47 123.82 121.52 –2.30
CO (tons/day) 2,148.25 1,338.22 1,303.13 –35.09
NO x (tons/day) 272.11 236.05 239.02 2.97
a Includes elements of both the 1996–2001 Transportation Improvement
Plan and the Constrained Long Range Plan.
KEY: COG = Council of Governments; TCM = transportation control measure.
SOURCE: National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board,
Conformity Determination of the Constrained Long Range Plan and the
FY96-2001 Transportation Improvement Program for the Metropolitan
Washington Region with the Requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act
Amendments (Washington, DC: July 19, 1995), exhibit 16b.
and five new regional telecommuting network centers. The measure is projected to lower VOC emissions by 0.32
tons per day and NO x emissions by 0.66 tons per day at costs of $6,500 and $3,500 per ton, respectively. A further
measure approved for inclusion in the long-range plan is increased speed limit enforcement, which could
reduce NO x emissions by about 1.25 tons per day. (NO x emissions tend to increase with speed.)
The table summarizes emissions forecasts for the year 2020 under a base scenario and a scenario that takes
account of adopted TCMs. The reductions that can be attributed directly to TCMs are small compared with those
that are attributable to changes in vehicle technology and emissions standards. Also, emissions of NO x are projected
to be higher with the TCMs than without them, perhaps due to increased average vehicle speeds. TPB is
considering measures to address this problem. These include employer outreach for travel demand management
measures, guaranteed ride home programs, and programs to remove older vehicles and increase the use of alternative
fuel vehicles.
1 Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, Conformity Determination of the
Constrained Long Range Plan and the FY96-2001 Transportation Improvement Program for the Metropolitan Washington Region with the
Requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (Washington, DC: July 1995), exhibit 11: 22.
2 Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, Transportation Control Measures
Analyzed for the Washington Region’s 15% Rate of Progress Plan (Washington, DC: July 1994).