Congestion Pricing Studied for Downtown Seattle

Seattle joins the ranks of large cities like New York City and Los Angeles to get serious about the idea of congestion pricing, or charging more for drivers to enter heavily trafficked areas of the city.

Heidi Groover reports on the findings of a consultant's study [pdf] paid for by the Seattle Department of Transportation into the suddenly fashionable idea.

Groover summarizes the conclusions of the study: "Charging drivers to enter downtown Seattle could ease traffic and curb emissions, but without the proper safeguards also could hit people of color and people with low incomes particularly hard."

Planetizen picked up the news about Seattle's interest in the idea back in April 2018, when the study launched. Mayor Jenny Durkan has expressed support for the idea, even going on the record to support implementation in her first term.