Road Pricing in the USA

Road Pricing Can Help Reduce Congestion, but Equity Concerns May Grow (60 page pdf, United States Government Accountability Office, Jan 12, 2012

Also discussed here: Traffic Congestion- Road Pricing Can Help Reduce Congestion, but Equity Concerns May Grow
(GAO-12-119, Jan 12, 2012)
And here: GAO Highlights (United States Government Accountability Office, Jan. 2012)

Today, the focus is on a report by the GAO of the US government which reviewed the progress of 400 miles of tolled roads in 14 road pricing projects in that country which included HOT lanes (virtually all are on roads funded federally) and peak-period or congestion pricing. Results were mixed and no recommendations were made given that “Congestion pricing in the United States is in its relative infancy”. Concerns were expressed about potential equity issues in future – in terms of impact on low income drivers and geography in terms of areas impacted by tolling.



Key Quotes:

“we examined

1. the federal role in supporting congestion pricing,
2. results of congestion pricing projects in the United States, and
3. emerging issues in congestion pricing projects”

“Environmental Analysis

• Reduction in criteria pollutants
• Reduction in noise
• Reduction in vehicle miles traveled
• Qualitative assessment of perceived benefits of the environment
• Reductions in estimated fuel use
• Use and impact of alternative fuel vehicles for transit improvements”

“HOT lane projects..have reduced congestion, but some HOT lane projects also added new lanes … although the number of cars using HOT lanes has risen, there were fewer people in those cars because of an increase in the proportion of toll-paying solo drivers or a decrease in carpools”

“Peak-period pricing projects, which aim to reduce congestion by encouraging drivers to travel at off-peak times, have shifted some travel to those times”

“Potential concerns include income equity (whether low-income drivers are disproportionately affected by congestion pricing) and geographic equity (whether one geographic area is more negatively affected than another, such as when traffic diversion occurs)”

“traffic congestion costs the United States $200 billion each year, and that more than one-quarter of total annual travel time in metropolitan areas occurs in congested conditions”

“Although traffic congestion has declined recently in many metropolitan areas, future demand for travel during peak times is expected to increase as the population grows and the economy recovers“

“With about 400 miles of priced lanes in operation, which includes 150 miles of the New Jersey Turnpike, pricing has not been implemented beyond a limited number of locations. However, its popularity is growing”

Related articles

• Cost to use I-85 HOT lane hits new high (ajc.com)
• An Animated Argument For Congestion Pricing (dc.streetsblog.org)
• Tolls, Congestion and HOT Lanes in Canadian Cities (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
• Air pollution and congestion charges in London, England (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
• HOT lanes pick up momentum, critics (ajc.com)
• The Limits of Congestion Pricing (earthgarage.com)
• Traffic Jam Economics (economix.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Congestion Pricing Works (seattletransitblog.com)
• What is the Basis for Transit Policy in the USA? (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
• Road pricing will change driving behaviour in Flanders (expatica.com)
• London mayor: your ideas on road traffic congestion | Dave Hill (guardian.co.uk)
• Pollution "Glue" and Congestion Pricing in London (pollutionfree.wordpress.com)
• Road trip plans foiled by rising gas prices (gadling.com)
• London road-pricing scheme outlined in report (guardian.co.uk)
• New tolls suggested for Metro Vancouver drivers (cbc.ca)
• London's Greens put congestion charging back on the road (guardian.co.uk)
• Navigate your way to a discount on car insurance (moneyexpert.com)