Client: Fairmount Greenway Task Force

Year: 2018

Project Team

• Harvard Chan School of Public Health, lead researcher

• Fairmount Greenway Task Force

• Dorchester + Mattapan residents

Project Categories: Planning, Environmental Planning, Climate Resilience + Adaptation

The Harvard Chan School of Public Health worked with the Fairmount Greenway Task Force on collecting air quality data in Dorchester. Civic Space Collaborative developed a fieldwork methodology to collect and compare data from the proposed Fairmount Greenway and arterial roads in Dorchester, including Massachusetts Avenue, Columbia Road, and Washington Street, during evening rush hour. Residents joined several of the data collection bike rides where they learned about the work we were doing, as well as public health issues related to air quality. The Harvard Chan School of Public Health analyzed the results which showed the air pollution was much higher during rush hour on the arterial roads, and that on the Fairmount Greenway the air quality was better except at major intersections.