Is There a Case for Road Pricing as a Way to Make Transportation Sustainable?
Focus Area
Status
Cost
Timeframe
Sustainability
Unmet
$100,000-249,000
1-2 years
Scope
The sustainability of the United States transportation
system is threatened over the long term. An aging, congested highway focused
system hinders economic prosperity yet revenues are inadequate to pay the cost
of long term maintenance and operations. Meanwhile, unintended externalities caused
by transportation affect a broad spectrum of human and natural environmental
issues and economically disadvantaged groups are
unable to share in transportation benefits available to a wider population. In
the coming decade, road pricing is likely to become
the next step toward creating an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable
transportation system.Its proponents promise
that pricing can deliver smarter use of existing capacity that reduce
congestion and avoid costly expansion needs while expanding the menu of options
for raising money to pay for system preservation and capacity improvements. This
research project would explore the case for economic, environmental and social
sustainability benefits of road pricing. Research tasks might include: 1) Assess
what level of fee would be required to alter driver behavior; 2) Estimate resultant
benefits (GHG reductions, etc) form pilot and full scale implementation and 3)
Define further research, if any, required.
Benefits
Suggested By
Posting Date
TRB ADC10 - Environmental Analysis in Transportation Committee