>> I'm saying that congestion pricing is a bad idea.
>
> The alternative being...?
I think I've now said several times that my position is to continue to build and support public development of transportation alternatives. This includes things like:
- Increased development of express bus routes - Capital investment in passenger rail - Smart traffic control (timed lights, "all walk" at busy corners) - Expansion of incentives to use transit (SmartCheck, more parking at suburban train stations, etc.)
Along with:
- Increased enforcement of traffic laws that cause congestion (double-parking, taxis that don't go to the curb, bus-lane scoflaws, etc.) - Increased "luxury taxes" on sales of new vehicles that don't meet emission guidelines
I was interested to read that a significant issue in NYC is that many government workers are provided with free parking ... so, I'm against that and for the government taking the lead on some of these initiatives.
> you also thought tolls were a bad idea, right?
Yes, because they are an inefficient way of paying for infrastructure maintenance.
> if you *are* OK with internalizing some at least of the
> social costs of driving, how do we do it?
I think the cost needs to go down; any attempt to account for it is attacking the symptom rather than the disease. I'm not a big fan of this "You're the problem, you pay for it!" idea ... but I believe that a significant factor in this is that the market hasn't provided good alternatives for consumers.
To wit, I'm in favor of (in addition to the above things I'm already in favor of):
- Tax incentives for purchasing more efficient, cleaner cars - Strong regulation of minimum fuel economy for new cars and existing trucks (with a HIGHER standard for government vehicles rather than a lower one) - Getting rid of tolls and other congestion-causing misguided efforts (like "traffic calming" which incentivizes people to drive further to avoid the mess)
While we're at it, let's tackle some other transportation issues: Capital expenditures for port, airspace, and cargo rail modernization.
> How do we account for the fact that those social costs are higher
> at some times and places than others?
We don't. It too much of a waste of time and money and it encourages people to 'personalize' the problem. It's not "those people over there" -- it's all of us. And we all have to be part of the solution.
Didn't at least some of the people in NYC (and on this list!) wake up to the news and think: those rat bastards who are getting away with murder!
That ought to derail the issue for quite some time ... :-(
/jordan