Should the tolls you pay to traverse a bridge or highway go directly to the upkeep of that roadway, or should they go to fund transportation projects, such as public transit? Five experts debate this question in the New York Times Opinion Pages.
With cash-strapped states raiding toll revenues in their search for funding sources for a range of transportation projects, Sam Staley, economic development policy analyst with the DeVoe L. Moore Center at Florida State University and the Reason Foundation, argues against "robbing Peter to pay Paul," because he believes "[d]iverting toll revenue reduces transparency and undermines public confidence over the long run."
Todd Litman, executive director of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute in British Columbia, delivers the counter-argument, that due to shifting demographic and economic trends, and the "uncompensated costs" of vehicle traffic, "it makes sense to shift money and road space away from
automobile use and toward alternatives, like walking, cycling and public
transportation, particularly in large urban areas where vehicle traffic
imposes significant congestion, accident and pollution costs."
Other viewpoints are offered by Lexer Quamie, policy counsel for the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; Edward Rendell, former governor of Pennsylvania and mayor of Philadelphia; and C.W. Marsella, former general manager and chief executive of the Denver Regional Transportation District.
FULL STORY: You Pay the Toll. Where Should That Money Go?
Seattle Mobility Advocates Say City Should Triple Transportation Levy
A measure set to go before voters in November will fund road safety and mobility projects, but advocates say a much bigger investment is required to meet the city’s needs.
New York State DOT Invests Heavily in Highways Over Transit
So far, the department has allocated 90 percent of its federal transportation funding to road projects and less than 1 percent to transit.
Massachusetts State Budget Funds Free Transit Programs
The transportation budget allocates at least $15 million to new and existing fare-free bus transit programs.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
EV Infrastructure Booming in Suburbs, Cities Lag Behind
A lack of access to charging infrastructure is holding back EV adoption in many US cities.
Seattle Road Safety Advocates Say Transportation Levy Perpetuates Car-Centric Status Quo
Critics of a proposed $1.3 billion transportation levy say the package isn’t enough to keep up with inflation and rising costs and fails to support a shift away from car-oriented infrastructure.
Appeals Court: California Emissions Standards Upheld
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board, the nation's two most powerful environmental regulatory agencies, won an important round in federal court last week. But the emissions standards battle may not be over.
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