The Case Against San Francisco's Congestion Pricing Plan

"There is no doubt that San Francisco's freeways, access ramps and surface streets are congested during peak periods, but charging fees to drive downtown will do little to untangle the snarl. Why?

Because most city congestion is caused by heavy regional traffic leading to and from bridges and freeways, not by drivers heading downtown. Imposing a fee to drive downtown will only hurt San Francisco businesses and residents as has happened in Central London."

Falk cites figures showing that businesses have fled London's dowtown only to relocate outside the 'zone'.

As for the tolls charged, "half the money raised is used to collect and enforce the fee, thus a new well-funded bureaucracy has been born, with little to show for its mission."

"We need solutions to reducing the regional traffic other than imposing a congestion fee. Incentives to use regional and in-city public transit, or to drive into the city on off-peak hours, would do more to ease congestion."