Work

Traffic Congestion and Infant Health: Evidence from E-ZPass

Year: 2011

Type: article

Abstract: We exploit the introduction of electronic toll collection, (E-ZPass), which greatly reduced both traffic congestion and vehicle emissions near highway toll plazas. We show that the introduction of E-ZPass reduced prematurity and low birth weight among mothers within 2 kilometers (km) of a toll plaza by 10.8 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively, relative to mothers 2–10 km from a toll plaza. There were no immediate changes in the characteristics of mothers or in housing prices near toll plazas that could explain these changes. The results are robust to many changes in specification and suggest that traffic congestion contributes significantly to poor health among infants. (JEL I12, J13, Q51, Q53, R41)

Source: American Economic Journal Applied Economics

DOI: 10.1257/app.3.1.65

Authors: Janet Currie, Reed Walker

Institution: Columbia University

Language: English

Topic: Air Quality and Health Impacts

Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Sustainable cities and communities, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: green

Funders: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Pennsylvania Department of Health, State of New Jersey Department of Health