Ambitious Transportation Pricing Scheme Proposed For Bay Area

At a unique, combined meeting of two regional agencies, planners in the San Francisco Bay Area proposed several transportation pricing strategies to reduce global warming.

1 minute read

October 29, 2007, 9:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


"The plan was presented as a jumping-off point for a lengthy process, ending in February 2009, of creating the (Metropolitan Transportation Commission's) federally-mandated regional transportation plan through 2035. It was presented to several hundred Bay Area leaders at the "Bay Area on the Move" MTC transportation summit and Association of Bay Area Governments fall general assembly."

"Probably the most controversial component will come from making motorists pay for their contributions to rush-hour congestion. That five-fold increase would come from peak-hour surcharges on parking, congestion fees to enter urban areas and a 23-cents-a-mile carbon tax would provide an incentive to carpool, take transit or work from home.

It's designed to scare the dickens out of every elected official in the room," Heminger quipped to the gathering of leaders from all over the 9-county Bay Area.

"Another key component to reaching emissions targets will be coming up with a unified plan to channel development toward job centers, toward public transportation hubs and away from the tradition of sprawling suburbs ever farther from those key locations."

"FOCUS, short for Focusing Our Vision, is a regional incentive-based development and conservation strategy for the Bay Area. Regional agencies address climate change, transportation, housing, the economy, and other issues that transcend city boundaries but impact all members of the Bay Area" [from FOCUS handout].

Friday, October 26, 2007 in Inside Bay Area.com

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

"Altadena - Not For Sale" yard sign in front of burned down house after Eaton Fire in Altadena, California in January 2025.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations

Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

July 7 - Dwell

Dense multistory residential buildings in hilly San Francisco, California.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean

Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

July 7 - The San Francisco Standard

Blue self-driving Ford Transit van shuttle in Jacksonville, Florida.

Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US

A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.

July 7 - Smart Cities Dive

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA