Pay to drive in New York City
By: Drivers.com staff
Date: 2015-06-17
A report just released aims at setting the stage for a New York City traffic congestion tax similar to those in place in London , England and Stockholm, Sweden.
When Londoners were forced to pay for driving in the downtown core that city's traffic delays went down 30%, said the report, and businesses in Stockholm were able to make 25% more deliveries when the charge was put in place.
The report was released by the Environmental Defense Action Fund, a lobbying arm of Environmental Defense, an organization dedicated to educating the public about environmental policy. The 8-page report is available on the EDF web site and outlines it's findings on how a London-like tax would play out in New York city.
New York city is projected to grow by 1 million people by 2030. Stop and go congestion is increasing rapidly and is likely to double within 10 years. Today, buses and subways are the life blood of the city and more than 95% of commuters to the city travel by public transportation, states the report. A congestion toll, the report reckons, will not only reduce pollution, it will increase delivery times and make it easier for business in the Central Business District (CBD).
Following imposition of the tax in London there was no significant change in the number of visitors to the CBD. In addition, the study found that congestion would likely be reduced in areas surrounding Manhattan as well.
The report reckoned that public and media support for "congestion pricing" would not be a problem. Case studies of congestion charges in other cities indicate that public support increases after the charges are in place. In London, support increased dramatically, according to polls.
Money from the charges would be used to improve the public transit system in the city.
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