Role of Brownfield Developments in Reducing Household Vehicle Travel

Abstract

The transportation sector is the second largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United State. Developing underutilized urban industrial sites with certain characteristics (i.e., close proximity to transit, job and services, low remediation cost, and high density) can potentially reduce the transportation sector’s impact on the environment by lowering vehicle kilometers traveled (VKT) and related GHG emissions. This study examines the effect of residential brownfield developments on VKT reduction and the resulting costs (including the cost of driving time, fuel, and external air pollution costs) and further compares the resulting costs with the initial one-time cleanup cost of brownfield sites. Sixteen brownfield and conventional development sites were analyzed in Baltimore, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh. Travel demand models were used to estimate VKT differences among the developments. Air pollution valuation data were used to estimate external environmental cost differences. On average, residential brownfield developments reduce VKT by 52% compared to conventional greenfield developments. Also on average, brownfield developments result in a time and fuel cost reduction of 60% and an external environmental cost saving of 66%. Comparing these cost savings with the initial one-time cleanup cost of brownfields, it is shown that development density and the cost of remediation significantly affect the number of years required for the VKT cost savings to offset the remediation cost.