The Impact Holland Tunnel Had On Environmental Engineering

INTRODUCTION
The impact that the Holland Tunnel had on environmental engineering was significant because the generation of a new ventilation system was able to facilitate air quality control within the tunnel while stimulating awareness of the effects air pollution has on human health. The Holland Tunnel was designed to be the longest underwater vehicular tunnel at its time of completion completed in 1927. Consequently, the engineers faced the issue of ventilation of exhaust fumes within the tunnel. At the time, there was no previous experience or project that the engineers could call upon, so they set the precedence for other engineers to follow on projects after them, such as the Detroit Windsor tunnel which was completed in 1930. Since then, there have been limited studies of air quality within commuter tunnels such as the Holland Tunnel, but stricter environmental standards and practices of air quality have been implemented and enforced.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The ventilation system in the Holland Tunnel was installed to allow people to safely transport between
Transverse ventilation systems provide better air quality while longitudinal ventilation systems are more cost effective. The Holland Tunnel uses the transverse ventilation, thus maintaining well-diluted air. The longitudinal ventilation system, utilized in other tunnels, does not cleanse the air as effectively but is more cost effective (3). Different types of ventilation could be considered superior depending on the requirements of a project whether they are to keep the air diluted below a certain concentration or keep cost of performance within a price range. To maintain the minimum of 4 p.p.t.t. of carbon monoxide, different lengths of tunnels require different