Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) reported that traffic congestion is costing Americans $63.1 billion dollars a year. If you add in today's raising fuel prices that's another 1.7 billion per year. The wasted fuel from result of this congestion is 2.3 billion and the time wasted from these delays totals to 3.7 billion hours in 2003.
In order to solve this growing concern I hope that major urban areas in the US implement congestion pricing or variable toll pricing. Congestion Pricing is the most powerful tool to reduce driving, promote environmentally sound transportation, and finance improvements to mass transit. This program was recently debated in New York City and came close to being implementing in spring of 2008. It was rejected by the State Legislature even though there was huge support from New Yorkers and had the City Council approval.
This program works by an electronically-collected toll system that charges drivers more to use the most congested roads at the most congested times. These prices may be cheaper at off-peak times. This program brings in returns as well from benefiting the travelers, helping pay for innovative transit choices, and faster travel.
Singapore was the world's first major city to employ this which started out only in their central business district in 1975. It was so successful that the decided to expand it citywide with toll rates that change over the course of a day. The funds generated have gone towards expanding and improving public transits and keeping traffic at an optimal flow. Environmental Defense report that there was a 45 percent traffic reduction, 10mph increase in average driving speed, 25 percent fewer accidents, 176,000 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide emitted, and a 20 percent increase in public transit use.
All is not lost as this program hasn't been abandoned in the US. San Francisco has received a federal grant to study the possibility of this system in their downtown. Their program will be similar to programs in London and Stockholm. A key concept with this program is not to allow traffic to overflow into neighboring roads. I believe that if this program is successful in San Francisco then the US will have taken a giant leap towards future sustainability since it almost forces people to consider other alternative means of transportation.
By: Shawn Page
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
America's transportation infrastructure was built during at time when the automobile was in widespread use, so most of it is car centered. In other words, America's infrastructure is different from that of London or Singapore. I fear that congestion pricing will not show the same successes that we have seen simply because America's infrastructure is different from those who's infrastructure was built long before the invention of the automobile.
ReplyDeleteIn the blog post it was stated that congestion pricing aims to reduce congestion and discourage traffic flow on neighboring roads. I know that I go through great lengths to avoid toll roads when I drive, so I don't really understand how these new tolls will keep people OFF neighborhood roads. I they would inadvertently increase traffic flow on neighboring roads. Regardless, in Northern Virginia, the transit authority has partnered to begin constructing HOT lanes. For carpoolers, they will be free to use and this will just be an expanded HOV lane for them. However, single passenger vehicles can also use these HOT lanes if they pay a toll. This is kind of reminiscent of congestion pricing. I don't think it will do much to reduce traffic flow, but it will add a new lane to high congestion areas so, for a few years, traffic may be less backed up.
ReplyDeleteJames made the excellent point that the United States' transportation infrastructure is simply different from other nations. However, I think the most important point in the blog is that San Francisco is studying congestion pricing. It would be very difficult to all at once study and apply congestion pricing across the entire nation, however it wouldn't be very difficult to apply it in a single city... and then maybe multiple cities. That San Francisco got a federal grant shows that the government realizes that $63.1 billion wasted dollars per year is worth looking into.
ReplyDelete