Challenges and Potentials: Environmental Assessment of Particulate Matter in Spaces Under Highway Viaducts

Under-viaduct space (UVS) is becoming an important solution to urban mobility problems, and the construction and use of high-density city center highways and elevated bridges are increasing, which has a negative impact on the UVS. Air pollution is a problem in these spaces, but research on air pollution in UVSs is lacking. To further study air pollution in UVS, this study selected a case area of a UVS in central Shanghai and investigated the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of air pollution and the influencing factors. We found that air pollution in the UVS is significantly higher than the background levels, and the higher the background levels, the greater the difference between the pollution of the UVS and the background. In terms of the impact factor, air pollution is highly correlated with the built environment and traffic flow. The research provides evidence of the exposure to air pollution in under viaducts spaces in the microenvironment.