Road pricing — should and might it happen?

This article discusses recent attempts to implement a federally sponsored road pricing demonstration in the United States. It examines reasons for the attempts, pointing to several enduring traffic related problems; the greater effectiveness and flexibility of road pricing compared to other measures; and the proven feasibility of area licenses as in Singapore. The generally negative reaction of city decision-makers to road pricing is specified, particularly concerns about harm to businesses, interference with the right to travel and discrimination against the poor. Some lessons for further attempts at implementation of road pricing include more attention to contingency planning for worst possible outcomes; the design of parking permit programs which might lead the way to road pricing; and the selection of recreational rather than downtown sites for first attempts at innovative parking permit and road pricing schemes.