Because of Stockholm's unique layout spread around an archipelago connected by many bridges, traffic is notoriously bad. The solution could lie in a tiered pricing structure for tolls on motorists depending on what time of day they travel.
This project, in what the author calls a "giant behavior control experiment", is designed to reduce smog and congestion. The six-month experiment from January to July has ended and the results are in. Traffic passing over the cordon has decreased 22 percent. Accidents involving injuries have decreased 5 percent to 10 percent. Emissions decreased by 14 percent in the inner city.
Will the positive results pass muster with voters in September? According to a recent poll, a narrow 52 percent of respondents suggested they would vote yes. A winning margin could set the stage for this $525 million system to be emulated worldwide in other traffic prone cities.
While there are plenty of supporters of this project, including public transit agencies that have seen a 6 percent increase in their ridership levels, many Stockholm citizens remain skeptical. Some residents have avoided the toll roads to avoid the higher costs and instead have taken alternative routes thus negating any benefit in decreased pollutants.
[Editor's note: Although this article is only available to WSJ subscribers, it is available to Planetizen readers for free through the link below for a period of seven days.]
Thanks to Alex Pearlstein
FULL STORY: Stockholm's Syndrome
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