Does Congestion Pricing Reduce Traffic Congestion and Pollution?
Dear EarthTalk: How does congestion toll pricing, used in some cities around the world, cut down on vehicle traffic and promote green-friendly public transit? — Bill Higley, via e-mail Despite increasing green awareness and steadily rising gasoline prices, Americans and other denizens of the developed world not to mention millions of new Chinese and Indian drivers hitting the road every week are loath to give up the freedom and privacy of their personal automobiles. But snarled traffic, longer commute times and rising pollution levels have given city transportation planners new ammunition in their efforts to encourage the use of clean, energy-efficient public transit. One of the newest tools in their arsenal is so-called congestion pricing (also called variable toll pricing), whereby cars and trucks are hit with higher tolls if they access central urban areas at traditionally congested times. Congestion Pricing: Not a New Idea Singapore was the world s first major city to employ conge
