Ecological Impact Assessment of Highways on National Parks: Tehran - Pardis Highway (Iran)

Abstract

Population growth and urbanization increase the demand for developing new roads. Heavy traffic of the east of Tehran imposes high pressure on transportation. Network of this city and old road of Tehran-Rudehen does not meet this need. Therefore, constructing the new highway (Tehran – Pardis) in the east of Tehran would be needed. But the new highway passes through protected area of Jajrood and next to Khojir National Park. These areas include ecologic values as well as national importance. Therefore, constructing the new highway next to or inside these regions, have potential impacts. In this study, parameters such as noise and air pollutions in 10 stations were measured. Also, for anticipating the effects, simple Matrix & Pastakia matrix methods, were used. The results of the research show that noise and air pollutions have no effect on mammals and birds of Khojir National Park. It is assessed that constructing of new highway has less environmental impacts when compared with the option of widening the present road.