Over recent years, the Lehigh Valley region has regularly been ranked among the most polluted metro areas in the United States, with high ozone levels and poor air quality. The impacts of this air pollution are not felt equally across the region, with some neighborhoods in places like Allentown seeing higher temperatures and greater exposure to pollutants.
Now, the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) has awarded the City of Allentown a $16,000 grant for a citizen science project focused on measuring air quality and urban heat.
The initiative will recruit local youth to collect real-time data during Community Bike Works summer bike rides. The nonprofit “teaches life lessons through bicycles,” providing mentorships, skill development, and lessons on healthy habits.
Youth will use portable sensors that measure humidity, temperatures, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and other pollutants while riding bikes through Allentown neighborhoods. It’s a demonstration of how communities can work together to advance climate resilience, according to Deneine Christa Powell, CEO of the USDN.
Allentown currently has only one official air quality monitoring station. This method of traveling data collection will help identify problem spots that broader monitoring may miss.
Community Bike Works is not the only partner involved in the project. The City of Easton and Penn State University will also contribute, with university students providing technical assistance with mapping and analysis.
Maps and visualizations will be created with the data to support local planning and climate resilience efforts. Findings may help inform future decisions on tree planting, urban forestry, clean transportation infrastructure, and other public health strategies.
