Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

White House slams carpooling, new road fees better (children, minorities hardest hit...)
Reuters ^ | February 12, 2007 | Tom Doggett

Posted on 02/12/2007 1:03:09 PM PST by presidio9

Carpooling won't do much to reduce U.S. highway congestion in urban areas, and a better solution would be to build new highways and charge drivers fees to use them, the White House said on Monday.

ADVERTISEMENT

"It is increasingly appropriate to charge drivers for some roadway use in the same way the private market charges for other goods and services," the White House said in its annual report on the U.S. economy.

While some urban areas have designated roads for vehicles with two or more passengers, those high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes are often underused because carpooling is becoming less popular, the administration said.

Based on the latest data supplied by the White House, only about 13 percent of motorists carpooled to work in 2000. That compared with 20 percent of daily American commuters in 1980.

"This trend makes it unlikely that initiatives focused on carpooling will make large strides in reducing vehicle use," the White House said.

Building more highways won't reduce congestion either, unless drivers are charged a fee, according to the administration.

"If a roadway is priced -- that is, if drivers have to pay a fee to access a particular road -- then congestion can be avoided by adjusting the price up or down at different times of day to reflect changes in demand for its use," the White House said. "Road space is allocated to drivers who most highly value a reliable and unimpaired commute."

Critics of such fees argue that road tolls would make new highways reserved mostly for wealthy drivers, who are more likely to travel in expensive, gas-guzzling vehicles.

But the White House said urban road expansions should be focused on highways where drivers demonstrate a willingness to pay a fee that is higher than the actual cost of construction, allowing communities to avoid raising taxes on everyone to build the roads.

The administration argued that congestion pricing is already used by many providers of goods and services: movie theaters charge more for tickets in the evening than they do at midday, just as ski resorts raise lift prices on weekends. Similarly, airlines boost prices on tickets during peak travel seasons and taxi cabs raise fares during the rush hour.


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: beammeupscotty; foryourowngood; fromthegovernment; heretohelp; nonewtaxes; smartgrowth; taxdollarsatwork; tollroads; transportation; youpayforthis
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 201-220 next last
To: mc6809e

Ug, more 'if the taz serves a good purpose, it's good' BS.

We've already been taxed for the roads and highways. Why is it good to tax us again for the use of them?

Besides, this is just a Behavior Modification Tax. If it costs more to travel, less people will travel. You think that's a proper government function? Maybe you have some Dimocrat blood flowing through your veins.


101 posted on 02/12/2007 2:16:58 PM PST by savedbygrace (SECURE THE BORDERS FIRST (I'M YELLING ON PURPOSE))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: SoCalPol
I live in San Diego, a large city and never owned a car. Went to work for decades by bus. Grocery shoping, etc walking or bus and I am on forearm crutches also.

If I can do this, so can most. Use public transportation or walk.

That's a personal choice, which is of course yours to make. I suppose it would be rude of me to point out that those who pay gasoline taxes typically pick up 50-75% of the cost of your bus ride?

Oh well...

102 posted on 02/12/2007 2:17:05 PM PST by gogeo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: lentulusgracchus
Google on "NASCO", "Indiana Turnpike",

And Indiana got $4 billion for a toll road that was losing money. Remind me again why I should oppose this?

103 posted on 02/12/2007 2:18:16 PM PST by Publius Valerius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: Lx

I know what you mean about the pain.
Have had over 8 major orthopedic surgeries, neuro surgery, cancer surgery, and live with pain 24/7
I ret. a little early a few yrs. ago.
I walk an ave. of 2 miles + a day.


104 posted on 02/12/2007 2:18:25 PM PST by SoCalPol (Duncan Hunter '08 Tough on WOT & Illegals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 85 | View Replies]

To: gogeo

> On the other hand...if the government wants to charge me
> for the use of something I already paid for...

What your position ignores is that the roads WILL BE rationed.

They will either be rationed on the basis of who is most willing to spend additional hours uselessly asphyxiating in a tiny metal box, or by some other means.

Is making the roads available on the basis of who has the most time to waste the best alternative?


105 posted on 02/12/2007 2:18:52 PM PST by voltaires_zit
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 94 | View Replies]

To: savedbygrace
Besides, this is just a Behavior Modification Tax. If it costs more to travel, less people will travel. You think that's a proper government function? Maybe you have some Dimocrat blood flowing through your veins.

Doesn't seem to have worked when they tried it with tobacco.

106 posted on 02/12/2007 2:18:52 PM PST by weegee (No third term. Hillary Clinton's 2008 election run presents a Constitutional Crisis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 101 | View Replies]

To: presidio9

No kidding. That's one of many reasons why I don't live there. How much money do people spend a month on cab fare? Can they roll it into travel expenses with their employer? I assume some can, but can the typical NYU student afford it?


107 posted on 02/12/2007 2:18:56 PM PST by Pan_Yans Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: TruthConquers
If this goes though, it will be a tax on my daughter's passion to someday have a chance to be a ballet dancer.

Mostly, it was intended to be a tax on, and a brake on, commuting, to prod people to move close in, into those giant tenements -- oh, excuse me, I meant "luxury apartments" -- you referred to.

Ever see Blade Runner? Have another look. Take a good look at the scenery.

108 posted on 02/12/2007 2:19:14 PM PST by lentulusgracchus ("Whatever." -- sinkspur)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: ROLF of the HILL COUNTRY
"The only solution is more freeways."

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!

"Automobile traffic will expand to fill all space provided to it." - Buckminster Fuller


This sounds like a prediction of unlimited and endless population growth, which is not credible. If there is adequate roadspace, traffic will move. We're driving on a freeway system designed for traffic capacity in the '70s. Build enough road capacity for the current traffic and for projected traffic in the next 50 years. People will not start breeding like rabbits to fill up the new freeway capacity.

Another earlier poster was right: we have to get people out of their cars.

Who is "we"? The people have made their choice - they overwhelmingly prefer cars. They've also paid and continue to pay for the roads they drive on. Politicians and would-be social planners can talk about public transportation all they want - they can't make anyone use it.

Rapid rail works, and very well.

For the other guy to use, usually. I see the empty light-rail cars going by on occasion and so does everyone else in the traffic jam. We'd all still rather be in our cars.
109 posted on 02/12/2007 2:20:12 PM PST by AnotherUnixGeek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: riverdawg

My wife won't ride a bus through downtown Seattle.


110 posted on 02/12/2007 2:20:48 PM PST by gogeo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: SoCalPol
I don't envy your cancer but I wish I could walk two miles. The orthopedic surgeon wants to fuse my ankle to stop the pain but he can't guarantee it will stop the pain (WTF?). The problem is once it's fused, it's done. They're working on replacements so I'd rather wait for that.
111 posted on 02/12/2007 2:21:57 PM PST by Lx (Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 104 | View Replies]

To: ROLF of the HILL COUNTRY

Why not total subsidization of public transportation (buses or trains) so that it is a free option?

Or is "just a little bit of socialism" the best model?

Boston's green line rail was free above ground outbound. Doesn't seem to have been abused.

If the goal is to get people to use it, this is what would accomplish that goal.


112 posted on 02/12/2007 2:22:03 PM PST by weegee (No third term. Hillary Clinton's 2008 election run presents a Constitutional Crisis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: Pan_Yans Wife

You wouldn't have a choice in Houston. You can't walk on the shoulder of our highways.


113 posted on 02/12/2007 2:22:33 PM PST by weegee (No third term. Hillary Clinton's 2008 election run presents a Constitutional Crisis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: gogeo

Not a personal choice. As a ret. Legal Support Asst. with the county attys. and always have supported myself, paying rent and a car was not an option.
Rent for a 1 bdrom apt starts at $1,000+ a month.
Having had many surgeries and what Ins. doesn't pick up has been an expense over the yrs.


114 posted on 02/12/2007 2:22:44 PM PST by SoCalPol (Duncan Hunter '08 Tough on WOT & Illegals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 102 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child

If fuel was the only cost, that would be true. The time factor/cost in congestion, however, is now higher in many places.


115 posted on 02/12/2007 2:22:48 PM PST by gogeo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: Diddle E. Squat
The state IS trying to convert existing roads to tollways in San Antonio. The plan is to convert Rt 281 from the Comal-Bexar county line to downtown, Loop 1604 from FM471 on the west to I-35 in the northeast (about 35-40miles). These are major arterials. The proposed non-toll alternatives are the frontage roads for those highways.
116 posted on 02/12/2007 2:24:43 PM PST by ROLF of the HILL COUNTRY ( ISLAMA DELENDA EST!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child
The Right to Travel

As the Supreme Court notes in Saenz v Roe, 98-97 (1999), the Constitution does not contain the word "travel" in any context, let alone an explicit right to travel (except for members of Congress, who are guaranteed the right to travel to and from Congress). The presumed right to travel, however, is firmly established in U.S. law and precedent. In U.S. v Guest, 383 U.S. 745 (1966), the Court noted, "It is a right that has been firmly established and repeatedly recognized." In fact, in Shapiro v Thompson, 394 U.S. 618 (1969), Justice Stewart noted in a concurring opinion that "it is a right broadly assertable against private interference as well as governmental action. Like the right of association, ... it is a virtually unconditional personal right, guaranteed by the Constitution to us all." It is interesting to note that the Articles of Confederation had an explicit right to travel; it is now thought that the right is so fundamental that the Framers may have thought it unnecessary to include it in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. Thanks to Marko Liias for the idea. Thanks to W.H. van Atteveldt for the note about Congressional travel.


117 posted on 02/12/2007 2:25:02 PM PST by weegee (No third term. Hillary Clinton's 2008 election run presents a Constitutional Crisis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies]

To: SoCalPol

I'm glad it works for you. In King County here the fare box for Metro is subsidized between 50% and 75%, depending upon the service. Those people stuck in traffic are subsidizing bus service.


118 posted on 02/12/2007 2:25:13 PM PST by gogeo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 114 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child
If you can find a single reference in the Bill of Rights -- or even the U.S. Constitution as a whole -- to a "freedom to travel," then you might have a point.

Okay, let's take away your freedom to travel, since you've disparaged mine, and discuss this again later when you've been cooped up in your house for about 100 days and unable to leave home.

Smartypants. See how you like it when the shoe's on the other foot. Pinches, huh?

Oh, and the cite is the Ninth Amendment, which specifies that freedom is the default condition in all things not invaded by the legislature's lawmaking power. That's the concept that Bob Bork got hosed on, when he was up for confirmation as an Associate Justice.

119 posted on 02/12/2007 2:25:18 PM PST by lentulusgracchus ("Whatever." -- sinkspur)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies]

To: Diddle E. Squat

Well, it's all how you look at it. Parts of some existing roads were paved over by the toll roads. (FM620, MOPAC, 1325) They're still trying to toll SH183, Loop 360, SH71 (E and W), US290 (E and W) It's not over.


120 posted on 02/12/2007 2:25:44 PM PST by wolfcreek (Please Lord, May I be, one who sees what's in front of me.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 201-220 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson