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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: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 02 2019, @10:01PM (12 children)
The NY Metropolitan area [wikipedia.org] is one of the few areas in the US where mass transit is actually pretty good.
The traffic congestion in the area addressed by the new pricing plan is famously awful, as is evidenced by Don't block the box [trafficlawyer.com] and Don't even *think* about parking here [alamy.com] signs.
The smart part is that revenue from this plan will be used to repair and enhance public transportation. This will enable more people to use it. Those who have more money than sense will continue to drive their automobiles into Manhattan. To those people, I say "thank you!" They are doing their part to improve public transportation.
But that's not enough. The other issue is with *double-parked cars/trucks*. The current fine for this is the same (US$115.00) as for blocking a fire hydrant. Increase that by a factor of ten or so and that will relieve congestion even more.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday April 02 2019, @10:04PM (2 children)
That's a great sign.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 02 2019, @10:40PM
Rapture's coming or what?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 03 2019, @09:43PM
If you like that one, you'll *love* this one [pics.me.me]. I know I do. :)
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Tuesday April 02 2019, @10:27PM
Definitely about time [nydailynews.com], assuming it's not actually a race against time before the subways flood.
(Score: 2) by legont on Wednesday April 03 2019, @01:15AM (5 children)
Meantime some NJ folks are proposing to charge NY drivers for entering our Green State and use the proceeds to improve NJ public transportation and stimulate businesses moving from NY.
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 03 2019, @02:49AM (1 child)
You mean in addition to charging NY residents who work in your "green state" (have you ever been to Carlstadt? Yuck!) income tax?
(Score: 2) by legont on Wednesday April 03 2019, @11:14PM
NY has the most aggressive tax law for nonresidents. Even if an employee does not spend a second on the island, she has to pay taxes if she stays out for "convenience". https://www.hodgsonruss.com/newsroom-publications-NewYork_srevisedconvenienceruleprovidessomeclarity.html [hodgsonruss.com]
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday April 03 2019, @02:54AM (2 children)
hmm, i see the flaw in your plan: new yorkers already avoid jersey like the plague.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by legont on Wednesday April 03 2019, @11:07PM (1 child)
First of all, it is not my plan. Having said that, any plan that would keep New Yorkers confined to their island is fine with me. I trust Pennsylvania will provide the second line of defense against both.
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Thursday April 04 2019, @12:53AM
yeah, man, ok. but i am chortling at the suggestion that new yorkers want to go to jersey. they don't. the only reason they step foot there is because it is in the way of getting to everything else. as it is, we make it a rule to never get off the highway until we hit the Pennsylvania border.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Phoenix666 on Wednesday April 03 2019, @02:52AM (1 child)
they can't run many more trains and buses through lower manhattan than they already do. during rush hour those are packed. there's not much more capacity to be found in mass transit. bike commuting can absorb some more, especially if people use folding bikes (so theft and parking won't become an issue). however, soon they'll have to do something more drastic like people movers at ground level or elevated trains/monorails in addition to subways, bikes and buses.
you are right about double parking and delivery vehicles. fines are a cheap way to go. designated delivery zones every block might help. but maybe delivery drones or conveyor belts are the long-term answer.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 03 2019, @03:19AM
Actually, if the MTA ever gets its act together and installs a modern signaling (you know, more recent than 1904 [wikipedia.org]) system, they could run *lots* more trains and increase capacity significantly.
As it stands now (as you know, or should -- stand at the front of the first car sometime), trains must keep *two* green lights (generally ~1000 feet) between each other.