Congestion PricingMike Rappaport

Interesting article on congestion pricing in the New York Times.  Here is a description about San Diego:

To the south, in San Diego, on an eight-mile stretch of Interstate 15,high-occupancy toll, or H.O.T., lanes can be used by individualmotorists willing to pay fees that vary throughout the day, dependingon traffic conditions.

I use these lanes every week.  It is often a great convenience.

Of course, people react poorly to charging them for using the roads, but for largely emotional reasons that do not withstand scrutiny:

Everyone accepts that if your car is stationary, it s fine to payfor parking, said Alexander Tabarrok, professor of economics at GeorgeMason University. But if you tell people they have to pay to movetheir car between two points, they think it s crazy.

The notionof charging people for a good or service generally regarded as free driving on highways also instills political opposition. In New York,many elected officials argued that charging fees to drivers would be aburden for poor and middle-income people.

Professor Glaeser  disagrees.

Thegreatest beneficiaries of reduced congestion on roads in New York wouldbe people who ride buses to get to and from work, who would find theircommutes shortened.

I use to discussing congestion pricing when I taught environmental law.  The overwhelming reaction of the class was negative.  They didn’t want to reduce pollution through markets; better to order people about.