TECHNICAL REPORT 7 AIR QUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: BRISBANE NORTHERN LINK PROJECT 24 July 2008 Prepared for Sinclair Knight Merz / Connell Wagner Joint Venture by Holmes Air Sciences Suite 2B, 14 Glen St Eastwood NSW 2122 Phone : (02) 9874 8644 Fax : (02) 9874 8904 Email :
[email protected] Holmes Air Sciences EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The following report presents an analysis of the air quality impacts of the proposed Brisbane Northern Link Project (the “Project”). The Project involves the construction and operation of an underground toll road (tunnel) between the Western Freeway, in Toowong, and the Inner City Bypass (ICB), at Kelvin Grove. The study focuses on air quality impacts arising from the Project. The study has attempted to answer the following questions: • How would air quality change as a result of the Project? • How do the air quality impacts of the Project compare with the “do nothing” case? • Would the Project achieve compliance with air quality goals? Computer-based dispersion modelling has been used as the primary tool to assist with the assessment. Various existing and future scenarios have been simulated and compared in order to gain a greater understanding of the likely impacts that the Project would have on the local air quality. From the assessments that have been undertaken the following conclusions were drawn: • Pollutant concentrations in the study area in future years (2014+), arising from motor vehicles, would be expected to be similar to existing (2007) concentrations. This is the case both with and without the Project. • Model results for future years are considered to be conservative since no further improvements to vehicle emissions have been taken into account.