Comments on: The View of Congestion Pricing from Texas http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/04/17/the-view-of-congestion-pricing-from-texas/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:28 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Ian Turner http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/04/17/the-view-of-congestion-pricing-from-texas/comment-page-1/#comment-66562 Ian Turner Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:26:35 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5912#comment-66562 Singapore, the first country to do congestion pricing and also one of the best-run governments anywhere in the world, is already working in conjunction on a variable pricing system that uses statistical models and realtime data to project actual demand, and adjust prices accordingly. Not StreetsWiki, but you can read about Singapore's congestion pricing system here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Road_Pricing Singapore, the first country to do congestion pricing and also one of the best-run governments anywhere in the world, is already working in conjunction on a variable pricing system that uses statistical models and realtime data to project actual demand, and adjust prices accordingly.

Not StreetsWiki, but you can read about Singapore's congestion pricing system here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Road_Pricing

]]> By: JPF http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/04/17/the-view-of-congestion-pricing-from-texas/comment-page-1/#comment-66544 JPF Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:20:02 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5912#comment-66544 I know you all know this, but I just have to point a small technical note -- the optimal toll shouldn't be set to achieve <i>freeflow</i> traffic speeds. That would take an incredibly high toll in most cases, and raise a suspiciously huge sum of cash for the toll agency. Rather, some congestion is OK as long as the total cost a driver sees (congestion plus toll) is the same as the marginal cost (marginal congestion delay for all drivers, plus environmental costs, etc.). This should keep congestion levels well below stop-and-go breakdown, and certainly tolerable. It's a small distinction, but I think it's important that people's expectations aren't for freeflow traffic, but rather <i>reasonably moving</i> traffic. I know you all know this, but I just have to point a small technical note -- the optimal toll shouldn't be set to achieve freeflow traffic speeds. That would take an incredibly high toll in most cases, and raise a suspiciously huge sum of cash for the toll agency.

Rather, some congestion is OK as long as the total cost a driver sees (congestion plus toll) is the same as the marginal cost (marginal congestion delay for all drivers, plus environmental costs, etc.). This should keep congestion levels well below stop-and-go breakdown, and certainly tolerable.

It's a small distinction, but I think it's important that people's expectations aren't for freeflow traffic, but rather reasonably moving traffic.

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