Congestion Pricing NYC

<p>I have been meaning to write about this for over a week. After the election, the NYT ran an [l:http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/11/nyregion/11traffic.html?emc=eta1|article on the NYC Partnership's working group on congestion pricing NYC streets]. The article (or rather the Partnership) forced the freshly re-elected (and term limited lame duck) Mayor into a bad spot, and the administration [l:http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/12/nyregion/metrocampaigns/12congestion.html?emc=eta1|shot back] that they were not considering congestion pricing.</p>
<p>Well why the hell not! According to the [l:http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/Statistics/regin04.htm|NYS DMV] there are 1,848,570 vehicles in NYC. 1,742,212<br />
cars, and commercial vehicles (excluding taxis and limos). There are 8 million people in the city. Fewer in manhattan and way fewer car owners. The peopel who have cars and commute into the zones that would be effected by congestion pricing have the money to spend on the extra fee, and it is probably a bargain in exchange for their time. Driving a car in the city should be expensive and it should be discouraged using market based schemes. Who is the mayor afraid he is going to piss off? outer borough voters? Why does he care? he has said he is not going to seek any other office when his term is up.</p>
<p>The NYT ran [l:http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/18/nyregion/18traffic.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1132635835-0VVXYRbkuGjELk7R4+O0AQ|another article] last week on this issue. This last one made the point that this is a business issue. Snarled traffic is bad for business. </p>
<p>Bring it Bloombie! Bloombucks would do it! </p>
<p>I would say though, that unlike all the other plans being suggested that there should be Friday and Saturday night fees. not day time, but if you are out between 7PM and 2AM you should have to pay a fee. It would cut down on DUI and DWI and reduce congestion and noise polution and allow cabs to get people where they are going faster!</p>