Congestion Pricing

Congestion Pricing

Congestion Pricing Could Be Fairer Than the Status Quo

A timely debate, as New York City debates a congestion pricing scheme proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and California looks for ways to reduce emissions from transportation.

August 23, 2017 - 100 Hours

New York Traffic

Praise for Gov. Andrew Cuomo from New York Times on Cordon Pricing

Thanks to the governor's support, there is reason for optimism that a plan to charge motorists entering Manhattan below 60th St. and toll the East River bridges will have a better outcome than Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan did in April 2008.

August 23, 2017 - The New York Times

Inland Empire

Is the Era of the 'Free' Freeway Coming to an End?

No one's suggesting that freeways will be converted to tollways, but a pattern is emerging that when freeways are widened, express lanes, financed in part by user fees, are being added rather than mixed-flow lanes. Case in point: the Inland Empire.

August 18, 2017 - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

Taxis

Congestion Pricing Finds New Life in New York City

Eight years ago, a proposal to charge on drivers entering the most congested parts of Manhattan was soundly defeated when it moved from the city to the state. Now the idea is being revisited again, with support from the governor.

August 14, 2017 - The New York Times

Toll Roads

Defending Road Pricing from Public Opinion

Access Magazine takes a deep dive into congestion management, explaining the reasoning behind a publicly unpopular strategy: road pricing.

July 17, 2017 - Access Magazine

Only a Year Old, Bay Area's Newest Express Lanes Rated a Success

A report produced by the county authority that built and operates the I-580 Express Lanes in the Bay Area declares them a success. Operating speeds are faster and congestion is reduced. About 11 percent of the freeway traffic uses the toll lanes.

March 21, 2017 - SF Gate

Bay Bridge, New Year's Eve

Bay Area Voters May Be Asked to Hike Bridge Tolls 60 Percent

Before the ballot measure would go to voters, state legislation needs to be written, passed, and signed by Gov. Brown. The first step was taken Dec. 14, when the region's planning agency discussed the option. Tolls are $5, last raised $1 in 2010.

December 19, 2016 - SF Gate

Toll Road

Texas Would Need $24 Billion to End Highway Tolls

Texas politicians are wondering how much it would cost to remove tolls from hundreds of miles of roads around the state. Though the political cost of tolling is high, the actual cost, it turns out, is higher.

September 1, 2016 - Houston Chronicle

Commuter Traffic

Congestion Pricing Requires a Careful Balance

Congestion pricing is an economic tool for a difficult, complicated problem, and must be calculated carefully to avoid unintended consequences.

August 1, 2016 - Neighborhood Effects

State Legislation Would Dramatically Reform Tolling in New York City

It remains to be seen if the ambitious changes in toll pricing around New York City proposed by AO9633 has the support it needs for approval, but at least the tolling agenda proposed by Move NY is now up for consideration by the State Legislature.

March 25, 2016 - StreetsBlog NYC

Report Supports Road Tolls and VMT Fees over Gas Tax

The Congressional Budget Office takes aim at transportation funding and spending. It notes with alarm a $143 billion federal subsidy since 2008 and recommends charging motorists directly via vehicle-miles-traveled fees and road tolls.

February 19, 2016 - Congressional Budget Office

Los Angeles Harbor Freeway

Slow Express Lanes Causes L.A. County Metro to Tinker With Toll Pricing

As more solo-commuters have moved into the express pay lanes designed to quickly move traffic on Los Angeles's congested freeway system, speeds have dropped and L.A. Metro officials are looking to pricing disincentives to speed things up again.

February 16, 2016 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Bay Bridge Toll

Congestion Pricing as the Missing Piece of Urban Mobility

A new report argues for congestion pricing projects to be implemented in major Canadian cities.

November 10, 2015 - Canada's Ecofiscal Commission

How One Plan Manages Growth in London

While still deeply attached to its history, today London is grappling with rapid population growth. The ensuing need to increase density in appropriate areas and improve connectivity present London with challenges of a quintessentially modern kind.

June 20, 2015 - The Planning Report

Night Train

Study: Transit Subsidies Work Best Alone

Research suggests that transit subsidies produce minimal social value when combined with congestion pricing and dedicated bus lanes.

March 17, 2015 - London School of Economics and Political Science - American Politics and Policy Blog

Study: Congestion Pricing Improves Traffic Safety

According to new research, London's congestion pricing program has improved traffic safety both in the cordoned city center and in the free adjacent areas. Although traffic is moving faster, fatalities have been reduced.

March 15, 2015 - The Guardian

Congestion Pricing on Legacy Roadways

What happens when there is no room to widen a congested roadway? One solution is to build above the roadway. Another, suggests an HNTB expert, would be to convert an existing lane into a managed toll lane and fund transit with the revenue.

October 29, 2014 - Roll Call

A New, Flexible System for Congestion Pricing

Researchers at MIT have developed a new, flexible congestion pricing system.

September 25, 2014 - Wired

Quantifying the Benefits of Congestion Pricing

In a recent blog post, Michael Brown of Metro Analytics sought to quantify the benefits of congestion pricing.

July 28, 2014 - Smart Growth for Conservatives blog

Los Angeles Traffic - The Newhall Pass

Induced Demand Explained (or Why We Can't Build Our Way Out of Congestion)

In case you need an easy link to reference when encountering arguments in favor of widening roads and freeways as a solution for traffic, Adam Mann provides an accessible and clear explainer article that sums up the limitations of such strategies.

June 18, 2014 - Wired

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.