System Dynamic Modeling for Assessment Transportation Policies in Greater Cairo Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Air pollution is a serious problem that harms human health and the environment. It is caused by a variety of pollutants, including gaseous pollutants, odors, and particulate matter. Air pollution is especially harmful in urban areas, where it can cause severe health problems for residents. The transportation sector is a major source of air pollution in the Greater Cairo Region, Egypt (GCR). To address this problem, the Egyptian government has implemented several transportation policies, such as investing in public transportation, and improving road networking road pricing. A mathematical model has been developed to assess the environmental impacts of different transportation policies in the GCR. The model takes into account the interactions between different components of the transportation system, such as traffic demand, vehicle emissions, and air quality. The model shows that three transportation policies evaluated can have a significant impact on air quality such (tax on industries that pollute the air and modification of relative user costs, utilizing renewable energy and fostering a shift to cleaner vehicles and enhancing vehicle maintenance and development of a public transportation system). For example, investments in public transportation can reduce traffic congestion and emissions, while road pricing can discourage car use and improve air quality. The model can be used to support decision-making on transportation policies in the GCR. It can be used to assess the environmental impacts of different policies, identify the most effective policies, and track the progress of implementation. The mathematical model developed in this paper can be utilized to inform the development of transportation policies and monitor the progress of their implementation.