New tool to gauge environmental effects of transportation projects

Transport Canada has a new online tool to help urban transportation professionals calculate transportation-related emissions, including greenhouse gases and air contaminants.
The tool, called “The Urban Transportation Emissions Calculator” is intended to help cities estimate the annual impact on greenhouse gases and other emissions from transportation projects such as new transit or roads.
The tool is internet-based and accounts for greenhouse gases and contaminants (e.g. carbon, nitrous and sulphur oxides, VOCs, and particles). It calculates for both direct emissions from tailpipes and indirect emissions. Indirect emissions are created from the production of electricity used by electric vehicles as well as those emissions from the production, refining and transportation of transportation fuels.
The calculator allows municipalities to plan and report emissions in a more standardized manner.
The Urban Transportation Emissions Calculator is being promoted as “simple and user-friendly.” It is available online at www.tc.gc.ca/UTEC