To amend the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 to prohibit congestion or cordon pricing in a value pricing program, and for other purposes.
Impact
The prohibition on congestion and cordon pricing as outlined in HB8121 could significantly influence state laws concerning traffic management and road funding. By eliminating these forms of pricing, the bill aims to maintain unrestricted access to roadways, potentially leading to ongoing traffic issues in congested urban areas without the financial disincentives that such pricing could provide. Such a shift may necessitate alternative approaches to funding infrastructure improvements and managing traffic flow, relying more heavily on federal and state funding rather than user-based funding mechanisms.
Summary
House Bill 8121 proposes amendments to the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 specifically aimed at prohibiting congestion pricing or cordon pricing within any value pricing program. The core objective of this bill is to eliminate financial strategies that charge drivers for road usage during peak congestion times, thereby ensuring that such pricing mechanisms cannot be implemented by the Secretary of Transportation. This legislative move signifies a clear shift in policy towards addressing traffic congestion without utilizing financial penalties that could disproportionately affect lower-income drivers.
Contention
This bill's introduction may be seen as contentious among transportation policy advocates and urban planners. Supporters argue that eliminating congestion pricing respects drivers' rights and ensures equitable access to roadways, while opponents warn that without financial disincentives, the efficiency of road usage may be compromised. Critics of the bill might express concern that this could lead to increased traffic congestion, environmental impact due to higher emissions, and challenges in managing urban mobility effectively.
This bill prohibits the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) from establishing or maintaining a value pricing program under the FHWA's Value Pricing Pilot Program that includes value pricing, congestion pricing, or cordon pricing. In general, value pricing, also referred to as congestion pricing, includes a variety of strategies to manage congestion on highways and surface streets (e.g., charging drivers on congested roadways during peak periods). Cordon pricing is a form of congestion pricing that includes a zone-based pricing system that involves either variable or fixed charges to drive within or into a congested area within a city.
Motorist Tax Abuse ActThis bill prohibits the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) from establishing or maintaining cordon pricing for the Central Business District Tolling Program for New York City under the FHWA's Value Pricing Pilot Program. The New York program charges drivers a toll to enter an area in Manhattan designated as the Congestion Relief Zone. In general, cordon pricing is a form of congestion pricing that includes a zone-based pricing system that involves either variable or fixed charges to drive within or into a congested area within a city.
To amend the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 to designate a portion of United States Route 74 in North Carolina as a future interstate, and for other purposes.
STOP NJ CONGESTION Act Stop Taxation of Overburdened People from New Jersey by Correcting Obnoxious New Gimmick and Ensuring the Stability of Transportation Infrastructure from Obstinate Neighbors Act