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It was a sad day in NYC last week when Mayor Bloomberg’s proposal for the first ever congestion pricing plan in the U.S. was effectively “doored.” timesunion.com had this to say about the plan:
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wanted congestion pricing — that is, to impose tolls on cars and trucks entering Manhattan’s busiest streets during weekdays — for the best of reasons. It would have improved traffic flow, reduced air pollution from idling vehicles and generated much needed revenue for mass transit. Mr. Bloomberg’s City Council agreed. So did Gov. David Paterson. And the federal government was promising more than $300 million to help implement the plan.
As a city resident, the externality concept really hits home (a third party being effected by the actions of others). Most of the people who drive cars in Manhattan do not live in the city. They drive in, pollute the city with their exhaust, create traffic jams, cause wear and tear on the roads, and cause excess noise. Those of us who live here and do not drive cars have to breathe dirty air, listen to useless horn blasts, and dodge the potholes caused by cars.
In my opinion, congestion pricing would have been a huge step in the right direction and it’s sad to see a step toward reducing dependence upon the internal combustion engine as a form of personal transit take a hit. Several cities around the world have seen the benefits of congestion pricing and it is sad to see the U.S. lag behind.
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Filed Under: culture, green power
1 comment for this entry ↓
1 Peter // Apr 14, 2008 at 12:15 am
i haven’t seen it explained yet why albany needs to approve of a city plan.
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