Comments on: An interesting take on Congestion Pricing http://www.neohouston.com/2010/03/an-interesting-take-on-congestion-pricing/ advocating urbanism in the opportunity city Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:06:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: awp http://www.neohouston.com/2010/03/an-interesting-take-on-congestion-pricing/#comment-580 awp Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:22:32 +0000 http://www.neohouston.com/?p=1758#comment-580 What people who make this argument are missing is that the toll is effectively replacing the cost of lost time sitting in traffic. The only way that would work is if the toll was high enough to keep people from traveling during otherwise congested times. The toll doesn't directly make freeways freeflow, it makes them freeflow by reducing the number of cars entering the freeway, at any given time. Also the other environmental benefit is the lower level of emissions due to the fact that emissions are lower per mile for cars going 55 mph than those going 10mph. It seems that what they are arguing is that it might be theoretically possible to have a congestion toll high enough to keep freeflow but lower than the previous cost of congestion, but if that were true then everyone who was on the congested road in the first place would be willing to pay the toll and we would be back to where we started. What people who make this argument are missing is that the toll is effectively replacing the cost of lost time sitting in traffic. The only way that would work is if the toll was high enough to keep people from traveling during otherwise congested times. The toll doesn’t directly make freeways freeflow, it makes them freeflow by reducing the number of cars entering the freeway, at any given time. Also the other environmental benefit is the lower level of emissions due to the fact that emissions are lower per mile for cars going 55 mph than those going 10mph.

It seems that what they are arguing is that it might be theoretically possible to have a congestion toll high enough to keep freeflow but lower than the previous cost of congestion, but if that were true then everyone who was on the congested road in the first place would be willing to pay the toll and we would be back to where we started.

]]> By: Andrew Burleson http://www.neohouston.com/2010/03/an-interesting-take-on-congestion-pricing/#comment-579 Andrew Burleson Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:53:45 +0000 http://www.neohouston.com/?p=1758#comment-579 I'm right there with you, APR. I don't think this guy is getting the complete picture. Still, he had an odd enough opinion that I thought it worth passing along... I’m right there with you, APR. I don’t think this guy is getting the complete picture. Still, he had an odd enough opinion that I thought it worth passing along…

]]> By: Appetitus Rationi Pareat http://www.neohouston.com/2010/03/an-interesting-take-on-congestion-pricing/#comment-578 Appetitus Rationi Pareat Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:27:45 +0000 http://www.neohouston.com/?p=1758#comment-578 I'm not sure how raising more money through congestion pricing and then using those increased monies to fund improvements in public transit couldn't be a plus for public transit and the environment. Maybe I am missing something? I’m not sure how raising more money through congestion pricing and then using those increased monies to fund improvements in public transit couldn’t be a plus for public transit and the environment. Maybe I am missing something?

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