Tolls to limit rush hour driving?

[SVOboy]

Sounds like a plan to me: http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/04/los-angeles-to.html

By 2010, single-occupancy vehicles will be able to use carpool lanes - at a fee, of course. Los Angeles' transportation board unanimously approved the measure to charge certain vehicles to use these lanes on two of the region's freeways. Limiting the tolls to only rush hour, the board hopes to see a reduction in peak-hour traffic by encouraging people to drive in the off-peak.

Any vehicle who wishes to use the carpool lanes will use an electronic transponder (similar to E-Z Pass or Fastrak) that will charge to a credit card account. The price to use the lane is still being sorted out. In Orange County, where toll lanes already in use, the fee is between $1.20 to $10. In San Diego, it's $0.50 to $4.

The exact rules of these lanes are yet to be decided by the Los Angeles MTA, but several board members have expressed that they do not want to discourage people from carpooling. They hope to keep the lanes free of charge for cars with three people or more.

The money generated from this pricing will go towards the region's mass transit system.

[Peter7307]

We have something similar here but in reverse for public transport.
Namely if you travel outside certain time blocks the cost is either reduced or not payable.

Pete.

[Lazarus]

It just another tax.

We have that also and on ozone action days everyone rides for free. Unfortunately there is never anyone on them. As gas prices climb I guess we will see more though.

[Duffman]

I think these are dumb, roads are for driving, period.
Why not target the problem, if the problem is pollution, then target pollution.
This seems to me that density must be too high.

[FX2.3]

Never understood why they charge for basic infrastructure. If more roads are needed, build them, just don’t tax the old ones and talk about the future..

One would think for an economy to prosper basic transportation needs would need to be met and free of cost to the people..

[SVOboy]

Originally Posted by Duffman

I think these are dumb, roads are for driving, period.
Why not target the problem, if the problem is pollution, then target pollution.
This seems to me that density must be too high.

I think in LA the problem is also disgustingly choked traffic,

[RH77]

There will always be people who will want to pay for time.

It goes back to the "Most Retained Value Mod": the limited-quantity, yellow sticker for LA drivers to use their hybrids in the Carpool lane.



Since they're no longer issued, Priuses with this sticker command a $4000 premium over other models when sold used. No other option or aftermarket bolt-on has this kind of staying power.

The argument being, "Time is Money".

So, this money spent for time is going into the mass transit system. Does that mean they'll pay people to ride it? As Laz said, many buses run around empty or with a few passengers.

RH77

[LostCause]

The carpool lane is unsafe. Nothing like a huge speed disparity to turn a fender bender into a lethal accident.

The older I get, the more egalitarian I feel. I see these taxes as doing nothing more then aiding the wealthy. If all of our lives are created equal, then all of our time should hold equal weight. Why should someone who sold their soul get preference over the common man?

The potential carpoolee could be a billionaire or the president of the universe, but if he's human he deserves no preferential treatment. I say get rid of the carpool lane and let everyone share the road equally. The solution should be applied to all, not a select few.

- LostCause

[Duffman]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

I think in LA the problem is also disgustingly choked traffic,

I agree.
But in some places though there is poor trafic engineering that could help congestion problems. The point I was making (and this is specific to california) is they dont have a car problem, they have a people problem. It is so easy to say exhaust emmisions are the problem (& I acknowledge there is room for improvement there) but what california needs to do is say, we're full, nobody else is moving in. To deny people the use of roads is stupid, roads have a pretty fundemental use in the economy, moving goods and people for commercial purposes and you need cars and trucks to make this happen.

North America is a really big place and there is lots of other room for people to live in but its just not good politics to face reality sometimes.

[igo]

Originally Posted by RH77

There will always be people who will want to pay for time.

so, more rich people will take there suvs in the carpool lane

Yeah this will just make rush hour traffic worse. Now more people will be in the car pool land and more people will be in the normal lanes too.

The theory being that traffic will fill the road infrastructure to capacity. If things get too congested people will find a different route to work.