Submitted by H. McBean, Dec 27, 2006 12:39

Congestion pricing should not be confused with the use of private partnership for road construction and/or management. Road tolls and congestion pricing should be viewed as distinctly different tools. The revenue from congestion charging should be used only to improve public transportation and to repay for the charging infrastructure and enforcement. Road toll revenue should go back to road construction costs or improvements. Roads constructed by PPI should be funded from tolls that are not necessarily a part of a congestion charging scheme. The truth of the matter is that a well designed and implemented congestion charging scheme can/may completely remove the need for additional roadway capacity in the area in which the congestion charging scheme is implemented.

I am concerned by the view that roadside parking should be removed to allow for delivery truck parking. Delivery by trucks should take place only during off-peak periods. In exceptional cases where delivery must be done during peak periods then a permit (at a substantial cost) must be required. Roadside parking should be removed to provide additional roadway capacity.

Additional and improved transit capacity must also be provided as an alternative for those who would switch mode from driving to transit as a result of congestion charging.

Not enough is being said about "pedestrian and transit only" commercial areas and the reduction of privately owned parking at offices and commercial centers. Pedestrian and transit only zones force persons to get out of their cars in previously congested commercial areas. On the other hand, reducing the number of available "free" or "cheap" parking provides a very effective disincentive to driving.

Congestion pricing must be implemented alongside several other measures to be successful at reducing congestion. The piecemeal approach does not work. Equally disastrous would be to approach congestion pricing as just another road tolling operation.

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