ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

Transportation PricingTransportation Pricing

SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF FOR SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF FOR METRO WASHINGTON, DC?METRO WASHINGTON, DC?

Presented by Michael ReploglePresented by Michael Replogle

www.environmentaldefense.orgwww.environmentaldefense.org

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

PRICING FOR SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF

Congestion Relief: Magic Congestion Relief: Magic Bullets or a Grand Buffet?Bullets or a Grand Buffet?

• More roadsMore roads

• More transitMore transit

• Smart GrowthSmart Growth

• Better walking Better walking and bikingand biking

• TeleworkTelework

• Road pricingRoad pricing

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

PRICING FOR SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF

Recipe for Continued Recipe for Continued GridlockGridlock

• Build outer beltways that Build outer beltways that spur more sprawl, trafficspur more sprawl, traffic

• Dedicate tolls to road system Dedicate tolls to road system expansion, motorist servicesexpansion, motorist services

• Favor drive alone travel with Favor drive alone travel with commuter/parking subsidiescommuter/parking subsidies

• Fixed cost insurance pricing Fixed cost insurance pricing without PAYD choicewithout PAYD choice

• Neglect pedestrian/bicycle Neglect pedestrian/bicycle needs in community design needs in community design

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

PRICING FOR SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF

Building More Freeway Lanes Building More Freeway Lanes Has Not Stemmed Has Not Stemmed

CongestionCongestionExpressways induce traffic growth that spurs Expressways induce traffic growth that spurs

congestioncongestion

Outer Beltways Spur SprawlOuter Beltways Spur Sprawl

Household shift with Household shift with Western Western Transportation Transportation Corridor BridgeCorridor Bridge

Household shift Household shift with Techway with Techway

BridgeBridge

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

PRICING FOR SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF

Which Yields Induced TrafficWhich Yields Induced Traffic

Most New Bridge Traffic Will Be Newly Induced Most New Bridge Traffic Will Be Newly Induced Traffic Created by the Presence of a New Traffic Created by the Presence of a New

Potomac River BridgePotomac River Bridge

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

PRICING FOR SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF

Outer Beltway Bridges Provide Outer Beltway Bridges Provide Little Traffic Relief to Existing Little Traffic Relief to Existing

BridgesBridges

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

PRICING FOR SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF

What Role For Road What Role For Road Pricing? Pricing? • Managing traffic congestion, Managing traffic congestion,

traffic growth, and pollutiontraffic growth, and pollution

• Financing road system Financing road system expansion, operations, expansion, operations, mitigation of adverse mitigation of adverse impactsimpacts

• Financing transit, para-Financing transit, para-transit, walking, biking transit, walking, biking

• Supporting and financing Supporting and financing growth managementgrowth management

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

PRICING FOR SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF

What Role for Other Transportation What Role for Other Transportation Pricing Strategies?Pricing Strategies?

• Commuter ChoiceCommuter Choice

• Cash-in-lieu-of-parkingCash-in-lieu-of-parking

• Pay As You Drive insurancePay As You Drive insurance

• Car sharingCar sharing

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

PRICING FOR SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF

Common Ground for Common Ground for Expanded Choices?Expanded Choices?

• Add/convert HOT lanes Add/convert HOT lanes for I-495, I-270, I-95, for I-495, I-270, I-95, US50, I-66, etc. with US50, I-66, etc. with revenue supporting revenue supporting better transitbetter transit

• Comprehensive non-Comprehensive non-facility pricing, Smart facility pricing, Smart Growth, better walking Growth, better walking and biking reformsand biking reforms

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

PRICING FOR SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF

Getting Better Getting Better Transportation Projects Transportation Projects

Faster?Faster?• Incorporate pricing Incorporate pricing

with smart growth, with smart growth, better transit in better transit in plans and projectsplans and projects

• Avoid or mitigate Avoid or mitigate secondary induced, secondary induced, cumulative impactscumulative impacts

• Involve the publicInvolve the public

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE

PRICING FOR SUSTAINABLE CONGESTION RELIEF

ConclusionsConclusions• Pricing strategies can help Pricing strategies can help

break policy and traffic break policy and traffic gridlock, reducing pollution, gridlock, reducing pollution, sprawl, and need for new sprawl, and need for new roadsroads

• If misapplied, pricing will If misapplied, pricing will simply exacerbate sprawl, simply exacerbate sprawl, traffic growth, opposition to traffic growth, opposition to road expansionroad expansion

• Let’s work to establish Let’s work to establish common ground for progresscommon ground for progress