congestion pricing

Last week, I concluded that the plan to add two tolled lanes to MoPac would make everyone better off than either maintaining the status quo or adding two free lanes.  But it occurred to me that I haven't considered everyone's interests.   Cap Metro's, specifically.  Isn't it likely that Cap Metro will be worse off?

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority plans to add two lanes to MoPac between Lady Bird Lake and Parmer Lane.  The cool part of the plan is that it intends to use dynamic congestion pricing -- i.e., the toll will fluctuate as necessary to keep traffic in the the tolled lanes flowing at 50 mph.

  The six existing lanes will remain free.

I agree with Ryan Avent that this WSJ piece makes a bizarre argument against congestion pricing:

By requiring car drivers to pay a fee to drive in a city at peak hours, congestion pricing reduces traffic and raises money that can be used to support public transit—both worthy goals.

I agree with Ryan Avent that this WSJ piece makes a bizarre argument against congestion pricing:

By requiring car drivers to pay a fee to drive in a city at peak hours, congestion pricing reduces traffic and raises money that can be used to support public transit—both worthy goals.

That's the social cost that Charles Kamonoff, an NYC environmental/transportation analysist, believes each driver who enters Manhattan's central business district imposes on other drivers.

 Via Felix Salmon: 

That's the social cost that Charles Kamonoff, an NYC environmental/transportation analysist, believes each driver who enters Manhattan's central business district imposes on other drivers.

 Via Felix Salmon: 

Ben Wear and a colleague have run another experiment comparing SH 130 to I-35.

 The trip around Austin on SH 130 was 22 minutes faster than the trip straight through town on I-35.  This even though I-35 was not particularly congested during their experiment.

 Wear averaged 70 mph on SH 130; his colleague, 50 mph.

Ben Wear and a colleague have run another experiment comparing SH 130 to I-35.

 The trip around Austin on SH 130 was 22 minutes faster than the trip straight through town on I-35.  This even though I-35 was not particularly congested during their experiment.

 Wear averaged 70 mph on SH 130; his colleague, 50 mph.

Frequent commenter trza pointed me to this op-ed by Kay Bailey Hutchison in Thursday's San Antonio Express-News.

Tolls are unpopular, I know, and she's running for governor, but this is particularly discouraging:

Frequent commenter trza pointed me to this op-ed by Kay Bailey Hutchison in Thursday's San Antonio Express-News.

Tolls are unpopular, I know, and she's running for governor, but this is particularly discouraging: