Last week was a tough week
for Washingtonians as we experienced Metro's saddest crash in the agency's
history and all of the transport-related consequences, including major delays
throughout the Metrorail system; a newfound wariness about using the system,
and even some commuters getting into their cars, thereby creating and
experiencing more congested streets. It's a vicious cycle time and time again:
lack of sufficient funding for transport options, problems, traffic congestion,
time wasted, everyone's stressed.
I’m writing with a proposal which would both
improve downtown D.C.'s congested streets and the regional corridors that lead
to them, while providing more funding for transit, cycling, walking, and
streets through better management of our collective resources. How to do this?
Through congestion charging and using the revenues to improve downtown
D.C.-based commuting options throughout the region.
Congestion charging is a fee that motorists would
pay to enter downtown D.C. (not
inner adjacent neighborhoods in D.C.) during the work day. Whereas a toll is at
one location on a street, such as at a bridge, a cordon congestion charging
plan, which is what I'm proposing, would create a boundary around D.C.'s
Central Business District (map). All motor vehicles entering this zone during the work day
would pay the charge, regardless of which state they live in - VA, MD, or
DC.
The purpose of this fee is
to limit downtown traffic congestion while encouraging use of transit,
carpooling, vanpooling, telework, and biking; and limit greenhouse gases. For a
few dollars to enter downtown D.C. during weekdays 6AM - 7PM, the revenues
generated by such a fee could be regionally applied towards improving and
creating new transit service before the congestion charge begins,
constructing improved bikeways, and improving the region's streets. Jurisdictions
from the inner to the outer suburbs and D.C. too would each see a piece of the
pie. Motorists would save lots of time and stress due to the improved traffic
flow. Stanchions placed on streets along the boundary of
the zone would read license plates to see who has entered the zone. Motorists
could then pay the charge either on-line or at downtown D.C.’s multispace parking
meters.
The charge amount would be a reasonable fee which would discourage auto trips into downtown
D.C., and encourage transit, carpooling, vanpooling, telework, and cycling. The
charge, let's say in the $3 - $5 range, would be the price of a Starbucks
coffee, hardly a large fee when considering all the time commuters would save
with better flowing traffic.
Congestion charging is being used in cities
like London, Stockholm, and Singapore. A report by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute on London's
congestion charging program states, "During the program's first few months
automobile traffic declined about 20% (a reduction of about 20,000 vehicles per
day)." Also, "[t]his has significantly increased traffic speeds
within the zone. Average traffic speed during charging days (including time
stopped at intersections) increased 37%, from 8 miles-per-hour (13 km/hr) prior
to the charge up to 11 miles-per-hour (17 kms/hr) after pricing was introduced.
Peak period congestion delays declined about 30%, and bus congestion delays
declined 50%. Bus ridership increased 14% and subway ridership about 1%."
Is this idea pie-in-the-sky? Yes, if you don't
like pie. But who wouldn't want to pay the cost of one Starbucks coffee to
fight less traffic, save money on gas, decrease your personal stress level, and
get home earlier every day to spend more time with family and friends?
I’ll take the pie.
by Paul DeMaio
image credit: DCist
