It’s Time to Try Congestion Pricing in L.A.

During the Covid-19 lockdowns that have kept millions of people at home, drivers in Los Angeles and other big cities experienced something miraculous: free-flowing freeway traffic, at all hours. But if a lingering fear of coronavirus contagion keeps former transit riders off buses and trains after the pandemic passes, traffic congestion may end up even worse than before the pandemic. Can we avoid that future?

Yes. Congestion pricing can maintain free-flowing traffic on freeways even during peak hours. London, Singapore, Stockholm and other cities charge tolls for drivers on important roads at peak hours to manage traffic, and many more cities, including New York and San Francisco, are poised to follow these leaders. Los Angeles could be next, and it may soon provide a window into how the model could work for other car-reliant cities. As part of its preparations for the 2028 Olympics, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates bus and rail transit and provides funding and planning for freeway projects, is studying congestion pricing to manage travel demand in its ExpressLanes—one or two high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lanes adjacent to four or five free lanes in each direction.