The Victoria Transport Policy Institute has made an excellent analysis of London's new "Congestion Pricing" program, and includes a section on implications for other cities that is well worth perusing. The report is not too long, and is very readable. There are even quite interesting and informative photos and a map or two to show how the plan is applied in London.
A reduction of about 20,000 vehicles a day in central London has reduced congestion for all, reduced pollution, and has resulted in increased use of and financial support for transit modes. Traffic delays have been reduced as well. Active transportation has improved as well -- walking and biking.
I think our mayor should follow Mayor Livingston's example in establishing this "Congestion Buster" in our city. We should work metro-wide to establish such a system to encourage healthy, ecologically sound, and pleasant transportation while reducing the need for heavy investment in car-bound infrastructure.
Car-bound infrastructure is a way of buying poison and obesity, for which we then must pay another cost -- higher health care costs and health care dollars mis-directed to solving health problems we could avoid in the first place.
The VTPI study is available online at:
http://www.vtpi.org/london.pdf
One brief review of the healthcare implications of transportation-based (and other) pollution in our metro area is available online at Community Scorecard.
http://www.scorecard.org/community/index.tcl?set_community_zipcode_cookie_p=t&zip_code=55409
The Community Scorecard site is well worth a quick review as well.
I do hope that our Mayor, City Council, and county and State elected officials and planners begin to champion congestion pricing as a key to congestion relief in the metro area.
I think this solution could appeal to everyone -- from Greens to Republicans. After all, it is about taking responsibility for one's actions, and about paying for the implications of one's transportation choices within the context of our urban life.
-- Gary Hoover, King Field
