Justin-
Is air quality discrete enough to inform decisions about route?

My initial thought is that as a stand-alone application / website, there is limited utility.

Integrated into Strava or other applications - something that people are using regardless - is a better user experience.
This would be especially helpful if it also contained hyperlocal forecasts visible while route planning, a one-stop-shop for route planning.

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Thanks for your feedback!


In urban environments, air quality differences are discrete enough such that exposure to particulate matter and other air contaminants can vary depending on what block of a street you are on (here is an example for San Francisco). Outside of cities, the reach of air pollution (such as from wildfires, industrial facilities) varies depending on proximity to sources and local meteorology.

I agree that integration into the popular fitness applications would be best from a UI/UX perspective, where current and forecasted air quality would be available while creating routes. Having a separate stand-alone website seems, like you said, would be an extra hurdle for users.

Definitely not trying to rain on anything but how would this be different from say Purpleair or weatherunderground (which I think uses the same data)?

I've definitely been attentive to air quality in my area and do restrict my activities during the middle of the day in the summer to accommodate for it. I use a couple android apps at the moment. Not sure if that gives you any feedback.

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Good question!

PurpleAir has a great network of AQ sensors that allows you to see the current conditions. The potential, I believe, is the knowledge of forecasted AQ at a hyperlocal scale (especially in an urban setting), which is where the atmospheric dispersion modeling component would be part of the solution, so that maps like the one I linked above could be available for current and future conditions.

The reason why I started this thread is to see if there is any interest in having insights into air quality for fitness-minded folks when creating routes (which to my knowledge is not currently available), or like the poster mentioned above integrated directly into Strava or other popular platforms.

The forecasting aspect is interesting.
As you plan an 80 mile ride, you'll be in "X" location at time "Y" and at that point the air quality and forecast ought to be "Z" (as opposed to current conditions).

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I talk a lot - Give it a listen: http://www.fasttalklabs.com/category/fast-talk
I also give Training Advice via http://www.ForeverEndurance.com

The above poster has eschewed traditional employment and is currently undertaking the ill-conceived task of launching his own hardgoods company. Statements are not made on behalf of nor reflective of anything in any manner... unless they're good, then they count.
http://www.AGNCYINNOVATION.com

I think the need for hyper-local forecasting is different for cycling versus running. I rarely ride less than 30 miles and my routes are fairly constrained, so averaging over the route would be valuable, but knowing that a low lying area that I have to ride has a higher particulate count isn't too helpful. For running it may be more important or interesting if you could "route plan" or map out lower exposure routes through an urban setting. I can imagine a cross between your idea and Waze that maps a lower exposure route that considers traffic crossing.

Love this idea. Living in an urban area there are noticeable differences in air quality in different neighborhoods.

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