Mae Hia City – Reducing Carbon

Part 2: Mae Hia, traffic conditions, carbon and health-risk areas

The characteristics of Mae Hia, with the main road being the primary entrance and exit route to the south of Chiang Mai, as well as the super-highway around the city ring road, causes the area to have many large intersections which become the focus of traffic during rush hour in both morning and evening.

According to the 2022 Google Traffic study, processed using Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques, Mae Hia City experiences very congested traffic conditions during rush hour, becoming stuck at Mae Hia Saman Samakkhi Intersection and Ubosotwaree Prathan Intersection, with medium-density traffic conditions on the main roads, namely Chiang Mai-Hang Dong Road (108) and Chonprathan Canal Road (121), or when an event is held in the Royal Park Rajapruek area, which occurs 2-3 times per year.

When considering the overall activity of Mae Hia City, it is clear that traffic conditions are a major determinant of carbon emission in the area. Based on the concept of Carbon Neutrality, the relationship between emission and absorption in urban areas of Mae Hia Municipality must be considered as a matter of utmost importance, due to local imbalance of land use between green spaces, or areas covered by vegetation, and built-up areas. Add to this the carbon generated by traffic, and the factors increase which put urban areas of Mae Hia Municipality at high risk.

Data of high-risk areas as a result of carbon content, derived from a database of traffic volume, shows that most areas of Mae Hia Municipality have a low carbon risk due to forested or large green areas such as Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai University (Mae Hia area), Chiang Mai Night Safari, and Royal Park Rajapruek (World Horticulture Park). However, when considering the urban areas on both sides of Mae Hia, it is clear that high-risk areas are those with dense residential areas, due to increased activity and higher number of carbon-contributing factors, such as areas in groups 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Taking data into account to engage and expedite implementation of an action plan to reduce risk and keep pace with the amount of traffic, which is sure to increase in the future, as well as the expansion of the city – this is the challenge for which Mae Hia Municipality and its community must come together urgently to identify and develop preventative solutions.