am New York |
April 22, 2007
Author
world
Good sense hasn't worked. Who knows, maybe Manhattan tolls will.In the traffic-jammed world of bureaucratic euphemism, the artful term is "congestion pricing." Surely controversial, the idea at least is a logical one: If too many people insist on driving their vehicles into too small a space at too crowded a time, make 'em pay for the privilege. Some of them might travel at a different time or take a bus or a train.How bad would that be?London does it, charging about $15 a car in the busy hours to enter the central city. And for years, groups like the Regional Plan Association, Transportation Alternatives and the Partnership for New York City have had a similar proposal for Manhattan. On Friday, in his weekly address, Mike Bloomberg sure sounded warm to the idea."Using economics to influence public behavior is something this country is built on. It's called capitalism," he said. "Some people are influenced by the cost, you'll always find somebody."He'll have a big fight on his hands. Outer-borough politicians will be extremely skeptical. So will legislators from Long Island and the other suburbs.But have you tried driving across midtown lately? Have you been stuck on lower Broadway? Something has to be done!If not this, here's my personal plea as the traffic creeps ever so slowly across town: Think of something else that will work!
Submitted by admin on December 18, 2007 - 16:59.
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