I recently drove to Washington, D.C., and back for work, and spent time thinking about what I was doing and if it was defensible. I was making an approximately 500-mile round trip alone during some of the hottest weather this country has ever experienced. It’s accepted that the current weather is a consequence of climate change and here I was spewing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
We can debate the value of individual decisions on combating climate change. Maybe my drive wasn’t a big deal, but maybe it was. I believe our individual choices matter, if only because they raise our awareness of bigger decisions about implementing large-scale solutions. They could also influence who we vote for.
Recently New York City announced its plan to institute congestion pricing. This is a significant large-scale policy to address pollution and climate change by changing individuals’ behavior. But is it going to be effective?
Congestion pricing, or Central Business District Tolling Alternative as it is officially known, is a tolling program for vehicles entering New York City’s central business district, i.e., the area below 60th Street. This is a toll added on top of existing bridge and tunnel tolls to enter New York City. The purpose of the plan is to reduce traffic congestion and its resulting pollution to improve air quality and address climate change, and to generate revenue to improve the New York City subway and bus system.
On June 23 the Federal Highway Administration issued a finding of no significant impact on the human or natural environment due to the congestion pricing plan. The determination is based on the final environmental assessment and accompanying mitigation measures.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is suing the Highway Administration on the basis that it failed to do a proper environmental review of the congestion pricing plan, which he contends will cause environmental harm. His argument is based on the finding in the environmental documents that there will be an increase in miles traveled by vehicles within New Jersey as a result of people trying to avoid the new tolls. This increase in vehicle mileage will be concentrated at certain times of day and in certain parts of New Jersey, thereby increasing the environmental harm to the people in those areas.
According to the final environment assessment, there is a projected decrease in traffic not only in the area subject to the toll, but in the surrounding region, including circumferential highways. Though some circumferential highways will see an increase, according to the analysis of the studies, there would be a reduction in traffic on other highways leading to an overall decrease regionally. To address the potential increase in traffic on circumferential highways, the sponsors of the congestion pricing plan (New York State Department of Transportation, Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, New York City Department of Transportation) will implement a three-month monitoring plan to collect data on traffic after tolling starts.
If set thresholds are reached or crossed, Transportation Demand Management measures like ramp metering and motorist education will be instituted. If monitoring shows traffic continuing to exceed thresholds, the sponsors will modify toll rates, crossing credits, exemptions and/or discounts within the area subject to tolls to reduce adverse effects. The projected decrease in traffic will improve bus times and the revenue will enable improvements to the subway system.
Interestingly, there are mitigation measures planned if transit ridership increases so as to increase the time it takes to get up stairs and escalators. One year from implementation of the tolling, the sponsors will publish a report based on data from monitoring traffic, air quality, and ridership among other things.
The Natural Resources Defense Council contends congestion pricing will have positive environmental impacts. By lowering traffic, pollution from highway traffic will be reduced. There is also significant evidence that low-income households are disproportionately located near pollution sources like highways and so will benefit from the traffic reduction.
New York City is not the first city to institute congestion pricing. It is in place in London, Singapore, Stockholm and elsewhere. Studies from London and Stockholm show increases in the number of years people live and a reduction in children’s hospital visits for asthma by half after congestion pricing.
Though we won’t know for certain how well congestion pricing will work in terms of environmental benefits, based on available information, the indication is this is a policy that we should support. We can still drive our cars, maybe even to D.C., but when going into New York City, where public transit options are extensive, it will be discouraged and will cost you.
