Roads, Highways, and Bridges
Runoff controls are essential to preventing polluted runoff from roads, highways and bridges from reaching surface waters. Erosion during and after construction of roads, highway and bridges can contribute large amounts of sediment and silt to runoff waters, which can deteriorate water quality and lead to fish kills and other ecological problems. Heavy metals, oils, other toxic substances and debris from construction traffic and spillage can be absorbed by soil at construction sites and carried with runoff water to lakes, rivers and bays. Runoff control measures can be installed at the time of road, highway and bridge construction to reduce runoff pollution both during and after construction. Such measures can effectively limit the entry of pollutants into surface waters and ground waters and protect their quality, fish habitats and public health. Pesticides and fertilizers used along roadways rights-of-way and adjoining land can pollute surface waters and ground water when they filter into the soil or are blown by wind from the area where they are applied. The best way to prevent such is to shut down the areas where there is being any form of construction on the highways.
Random Emission Testing Over a period of years the people have tried to tell the state and federal officials that the mandates embodied in the Clean Air Act of 1990 were based on incorrect assumptions, faulty science and hidden or self-serving agendas. One of the more counterproductive elements of this law is the wholesale expansion of universal automobile inspection program. Mandating emissions inspections of the entire vehicle fleet benefit the manufacturers of testing equipment, contractors that conduct the tests, the automotive repair industry and the bureaucracy that involves to regulate the inspection and certification process. Mandated emissions inspection systems are very expensive, complicated, intrusive, inconvenient and value the citizens’ time at zero. The ultimate insult is that mandated universal emissions inspection systems do not significantly improve air quality. Promoting fuel-efficient cars The global vehicle fleet is set to grow from less than one billion to 2.5 billion or more by 2050. Ninety percent of this growth is taking place in non-OECD countries. At the same time the average vehicle efficiency of non-OECD countries is getting worse and carbon dioxide (C02) emissions per vehicle are increasing. Even though vehicles in OECD countries are, in contrast getting more efficient, C02 emissions of the global fleet are increasing and are set to increase even more sharply in the years to come. Improving fuel economy has many co-benefits for human health, the natural environment and the economy. These include the reduction of black carbon emissions and the subsequent improvement of urban air quality, a reduction in a county’s dependence on oil and cheaper transport for consumers. Many countries have put policies in place that promote cleaner and more efficient vehicles and have adopted ambitious long-term targets. Cost effective cleaner technologies such as smaller engines (with more power), lighter cars and low resistance tyres have improved vehicle efficiency. Hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles are now entering many markets. Encouraging carpooling If we implementing our community like Craiova in many other cities in Romania, the private cars will be the most popular and convenient mode of transport, especially for commuting to work. Many employees working late in the industrial areas of the city have no access to public transport and no option other than using taxis or their private cars to get back home. The distance from/to the bus/tram it is about 2-4 km. This further discourages employees to use the public transport service. The number of cars on the road in this industrial area west of the city during peak hours is approximately 2,500 standard vehicles per hour and this is predicted to rise to 3,000 by 2016. Another major problem is the number of parking spaces available. The area is cluttered because cars are parked on the side of the street.

References

Rogue Parrish. “How to Arrange a Carpool to Work”. (n.d).Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/arrange-carpool-work-7878370.html

Roland Hwang “Why fuel-efficient cars are better for the economy and the earth” (April 6, 2012) http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/04/09/why-fuel-efficient-cars-are-better-economy-and-earth