Exploring the Impacts of Air Quality on Travel Behavior and Activity Participation: Evidence from Travel Diary Surveys in Northern Utah

In this study, we explored whether and how area-wide air pollution affected individuals' activity participation and travel behaviors, and how these effects differed by neighborhood context. Using multi-day travel survey data provided by 403 adults from 230 households in a small urban area in northern Utah, US, we analyzed a series of 20 activity and travel outcomes. We investigated the associations of three different metrics of (measured and perceived) air quality with these outcomes, separately for residents of urban and suburban/rural neighborhoods, and controlled for personal and household characteristics. Our models found some measurable changes in activity and travel patterns on days with poor air quality. In urban areas, people engaged in more mandatory (work/school) activities, whereas there was no discernible change in suburban/rural areas. The total travel time for urban residents increased, driven by increases in trip-making and travel time by public modes (bus) and increases in travel time by private modes (car). On the other hand, suburban/rural residents traveled shorter total distances (mostly through lower vehicle miles traveled), and there was a notable uptick in the probability of being an active mode user (walk/bike). Air quality perceptions also seemed to play a role, at least for urban residents who walked/biked longer distances, rode the bus for longer distances/times, and drove fewer miles on days with worse perceived air pollution. Overall, the results are somewhat encouraging, finding more evidence of altruistic than risk-averse travel behavioral responses to episodes of area-wide air pollution; although, more research is needed.