The results of the pilot study of exposure to airborne particles and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) close to a busy street in Gliwice in the spring are presented. Traffic density in the investigated street between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. was 1400 vehicles per hour. It was found that average daily concentration of PM10 (airborne particles with aerodynamic diameter < 10 µm) increases by 40 µg/m³ in the street canyon in relation to locations 100 m from the road, which for inhabitants who live in this street means an increased of risk of respiratory diseases by ten percent. The average concentration of total PAHs near the street was 191.56 ng/m³ (in the spring and without rain) and was over 1.5 times greater than at the point 100 m from the street, which confirms that exhaust gases emission on busy streets elevates the exposure to total PAHs. However, it does not concern benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), whose main emission sources seem to be industrial and municipal emitters. Exposure to BaP concerns not only the persons who live close to the busy streets, but the greater population of the Gliwice inhabitants. The risk of cancer diseases in the studied area associated with inhalation of aerosol particles containing BaP is 10^-4, but persons living in the investigated street have a higher cancer risk of 10^-3 order.