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Written by David Strom
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Tuesday, 15 April 2008 00:00 |
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POLICY MEMO
Traffic Congestion:
Refuting the notion that increasing the gas tax and building more transit reduces traffic congestion.
Congestion is a problem, but it is a good problem to have. Traffic congestion is the result of a vibrant economy. Policymakers must accept that congestion is a market-driven phenomenon and manage congestion to maximize "mobility" - the ability of people to get from where they are to where they want to go to do what they want to do when they want to do it. That approach is a sharp contrast to the "tax first plan later" strategy for massive, across-the-board investments in transportation - especially light rail in the seven-country metro area. It is ignorant at best and disingenuous at worst to tell Minnesotans that they will achieve any real relief from the costs of congestion by paying higher taxes, even if those taxes are dedicated to transportation. Only by grasping the multifaceted nature of congestion - considering congestion as a market-driven phenomenon in the context of Levels of Service - can we develop a coherent strategy for reducing congestion that is focused on the lowest cost/highest benefit solutions.
Download a pdf of the complete Policy Memo
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