Modeling traffic-related air and noise pollution: Multi-criteria assessment case study around schools

• Multi-criteria assessment for evaluating traffic-related noise and air pollution reduction strategies. • Readily implementable control measures can reduce exposure to traffic-related nuisances. • Access restrictions significantly lower noise and air pollution. • Speed limits have limited noise benefits and may increase air pollution. Reducing children’s exposure to traffic-related noise and air pollution in urban areas is a critical challenge. Therefore, evaluating traffic management strategies in a computational environment offers a practical tool for planners, policymakers, and researchers. However, a key research gap remains: most studies evaluate traffic strategies on air pollution, noise, or traffic separately. Few quantify their combined impacts in a single framework. To address this, we propose a multi-criteria evaluation approach and apply it by comparing four scenarios against a baseline. Through a comprehensive panel of statistical, spatial, and temporal analyses of traffic conditions, air pollutant concentrations, and noise levels, we find that: (1) restricting vehicle access during student arrival times significantly reduces exposure to both noise and air pollution; and (2) speed limit reductions have only limited effects on noise and may, under certain conditions, increase air pollution levels.