An expanding number of major U.S. cities are exploring the idea of charging drivers to drive into certain heavily trafficked parts of town. San Francisco is the most recent to explore the idea of congestion pricing (also known as cordon pricing).
"San Francisco could be the latest to implement congestion pricing after the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) kicked off a study and public comment period on a new tolling scheme," reports Chris Teale.
The proposal under discussion would charge drivers to drive into downtown San Francisco or the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood.
"SFCTA says the study will aim "to understand whether congestion pricing could be an effective and fair tool to reduce congestion," and will explore this in addition to discounts and subsidies for transit, biking and walking," according to Teale.
As noted by Teale, New York City is leading a recent wave of interest in congestion pricing (in this case, most accurately referred to as cordon pricing), but Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles have also launched studies into the idea within the calendar year. A plan to charge drivers to drive on the famously crooked Lombard Street in San Francisco also died this year.
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