After years of debate, New York state has adopted congestion pricing to deal with traffic problems in New York City. Starting in 2021, fees will be imposed on all vehicles entering a pricing zone that covers lower Manhattan, from 60th Street at the southern edge of Central Park to the southernmost tip of the island.
This approach has succeeded in cities including London, Singapore and Stockholm. For scholars like me who focus on urban issues, New York's decision is welcome news. Properly used, congestion pricing can make crowded cities safer, cleaner and easier for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to navigate.
The details matter, including the size and timing of charges and the area that they cover. Congestion charges also raises equity issues, since rich people are best able to move closer to work or change their schedules to avoid the steepest costs.
Are congestion pricing plans the wave of the future in American cities?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 03 2019, @03:29AM (2 children)
Congestion charges: a sign the city is literally full.
Relocate your business, employment, or entertainment options if possible.
NYC is not the center of the universe, although NYCers may think it is. Seek greener pastures; the city doesn't want you.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 03 2019, @03:41AM
Actually, it's ~4-6 square miles of the ~302 square miles which constitutes NYC. And in those 4-6 square miles, you'll find the headquarters of most of the Fortune 50.
So yes, that area is pretty crowded. What about the other 296 square miles? Is that full too?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 03 2019, @04:36PM
No, it's a sign the city is too full for cars. This isn't surprising. Cars are a very space-inefficient method of transportation. They work for rural areas or less dense suburbs, but they are a major waste of space in a city.