Traffic congestion and congestion pricing
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Traffic Jams -- No End in Sight(1) Traffic congestion (拥堵) affects people throughout the world. Traffic jams cause smog in dozens of cities across both the developed and developing world. In the U. S., commuters (通勤人员) spend an average of a full working week each year sitting in traffic jams, according to the Texas Transportation Institute. While alternative ways of getting around are available, most people still choose their cars because they are looking for convenience, comfort and privacy.(2) The most promising technique for reducing city traffic is called congestion pricing, whereby cities charge a toll to enter certain parts of town at certain times of day. In theory, if the toll is high enough, some drivers will cancel their trips or go by bus or train. And in practice it seems to work: Singapore, London and Stockholm have reduced traffic and pollution in city centres thanks to congestion pricing.(3)Another way to reduce rush-hour traffic is for employers to implement flextime, which lets employees travel to and from work at off-peak traffic times to avoid the rush hour. Those who have to travel during busy times can do their part by sharing cars. Employers can also allow more staff to telecommute (work from home) so as to keep more cars off the road altogether.(4)Some urban planners still believe that the best way to ease traffic congestion is to build more roads, especially roads that cantake drivers around or over crowded city streets. But such techniques do not really keep cars off the road; they only accommodate more of them.(5)Other, more forward-thinking, planners know that more and more drivers and cars are taking to the roads every day, and they are unwilling to encourage more private automobiles when public transport is so much better both for people and the environment. For this reason, the American government has decided to spend some $7 billion on helping to increase capacity on public-transport systemsand upgrade them with moreefficient technologies.But environmentalists complain that such funding is tiny compared with the $50 billion being spent on roads and bridges.23. Paragraph 1 __________24. Paragraph 2__________25. Paragraph 3 __________26. Paragraph 4 __________A. Paying to get inB. Changing work practiceC. Not doing enoughD. A solution which is no solutionE. Closing city centres to trafficF. A global problem27. Most American drivers think it convenient to __________.28. If charged high enough, some drivers may enter certain parts of town __________.29. Building more roads is not an effective way to __________.30. The U. S. government has planned to __________ updating public-transport systems.A. reduce traffic jamsB. drive aroundC. go by busD. spend more moneyE. travel regularlyF. encourage more private cars答案与解析23.F。
T R N E W S 263 J U L Y –A U G U S T 20094The author is a Principal with Cambridge Systematics, Inc.,Cambridge, Massa -chusetts. He is a member of the National Research Council–appointed Committee on Equity Implications of Alternative T rans -portation FinanceMechanisms and of the TRB Congestion Pricing Committee.Tolls have financed highway infrastructure since the Roman Empire. Although toll revenue often may be used for other pur-poses, many believe that financing high-way infrastructure is the main function of tolls. T olls for congestion pricing are different. They generate revenue, but with the intent of changing travel behav-ior to make more efficient use of the transportation system, by shifting some drivers to less congested periods, or to other modes, routes, or shared-ride vehicles, so that the traffic flows more freely .Most products and services supplied in the mar-ketplace rely on pricing to align demand with sup-ply . If demand exceeds supply , prices will rise, and some customers will choose not to buy . Highways,however, are not priced this way , and the prices on the few facilities that are tolled are seldom allowed to vary according to changes in demand.Motivations for Congestion PricingFrom the beginning of automobile travel, the U.S.system of paying for highways has relied largely on motor fuel taxes, excise taxes, sales taxes, and tolls.Motorists have grown accustomed to these methods of paying for the cost of building, maintaining, and operating highways. A system that sets a price for highway use as a way of reducing congestion would be a major change, potentially affecting where peo-ple live and work, locate businesses, and socialize. Until recently , the congestion pricing of high-ways mostly had been an academic concept,because the necessary technology did not exist.Recent advances in electronic toll collection, how-ever, have prompted greater interest in congestion pricing. Yet when the topic is discussed in public policy arenas—from state legislatures and gover-nors’ offices to the radio and blogs—the motiva-tions often differ from the efficiency concerns that interest academics.Reducing congestion during peak periods and improving travel time reliability are important moti-Congestion Pricing BasicsJ E F F R E Y N . B U X B A U MPricing Road Use to Address CongestionMinnesota’s I-394 uses electronic toll collection on its high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes.P HOTO : D AVID G ONZALEZ , M N /DOTvations, but so are encouraging transit use, reduc-ing vehicle emissions and energy consumption, and especially providing a funding source for trans-portation programs and projects. Some may view a system of congestion pricing as a means of chang-ing urban form and promoting regional economic development.Pricing Signals and Congestion According to basic microeconomic theory, the demand for a good is directly responsive to the price of the good. If the supply of a good is fixed, the prices can be raised when demand peaks. Examples of time-based pricing include airline tickets on hol-iday weekends, daytime cell phone use, and midday electricity use. In each case, customers who cause the peak congestion must pay a premium, while users who are willing to purchase at off-peak times—when the resource is less scarce—pay less.Moreover, the higher prices signal that addi-tional investment in production capacity may be profitable. An airline will raise prices on a popular route to manage demand for the limited number of seats, but at some point the airline may decide that adding another flight to the route would be prof-itable. Some proponents emphasize that a key advantage of congestion pricing is that it would identify places in the transportation system that warrant investments in more capacity.But the mostly private users of roads and the mostly public suppliers of road capacity do not receive pricing signals. State and local governments largely have been responsible for the building and operation of roads in the United States, so that the highway system is perceived as a public good. In an economic sense, no one can be excluded from the use of a public good, and one person’s use of the good does not diminish its value to others.Under conditions of high volume, however; one additional vehicle entering a road system may cause the flow of traffic to slow, creating congestion and delay for others—so that highways are not strictly public goods. When there is no charge for entry, motorists do not consider that they are imposing a cost on others; the resulting market failure is known as congestion.Pricing for Social EfficiencyNobel Laureate William Vickrey advanced the idea of congestion pricing during the 1950s and 1960s. Implementation of his ideas was impractical, how-ever, because of the primitive nature of toll collec-tion. By the 1990s, tolls could be collected electronically without stopping vehicles, and sev-eral toll roads operated without tollbooths. These technological develop-ments renewed interestin road congestion pric-ing.Technology was notthe only impediment tocongestion pricing, how -ever. Changing the sta-tus quo of highwayfunding and use wouldcreate winners andlosers. Vickrey had recognized that this would needto be addressed if congestion pricing were to beimplemented.Although congestion pricing can produce aneconomically efficient solution to road conges-tion—so that society as a whole gets the most valueout of its expenditures—travelers may be madeworse off on average if the revenues are not used toincrease mobility. Consider these examples:Some motorists will choose to pay the con-gestion charge and continue to use the same roadat the same time as before. They will pay more as aconsequence. These motorists place a high value ontime, and some will be better off because of thetravel time savings. Because all motorists pay thecharge by choice, all presumably are better off doingthis than taking advantage of other options, such asdriving at a different time or on a different route,taking transit, or forgoing the trip altogether. Onnet, however, many still will be worse off than theywere before congestion pricing.Those who choose an alternative road ormode or who cancel the trip are worse off, becausethey are not traveling when, where, or how theywant.Those who were using other routes or modesbefore may be worse off, because new travelers nowmay be competing with them for the capacity. Ifcongestion pricing increases the throughput of thepriced highway, however, congestion on otherroutes and modes may be reduced. Only a detailedanalysis can reveal the traffic impacts.The distribution of winners and losers, andwhether society as a whole is better off with con-gestion pricing, will depend on several factors,including who pays the tolls, the net effect on travelconditions, how the revenue is spent, and changesin other areas of concern, such as fuel consumption,emissions reduction, and safety.The current system of financing highwaysthrough fuel taxes and vehicle fees creates its ownwinners and losers, but the social fabric has beenPHOTO: JOEPINEIRO, COLUMBIAUNIVERSITYARCHIVESWilliam Vickrey, a NobelLaureate, advanced theidea of congestionpricing.TR NEWS 263 JULY–AUGUST 20095T R N E W S 263 J U L Y –A U G U S T 20096built around this system. The transition from one system to another will be disruptive, with the out-comes dependent on how the revenues from con-gestion pricing are used.Getting Prices RightCongestion pricing can be carried out in many ways. One option is to price one or more lanes on a freeway , offering patrons a higher level of service on the tolled lanes. Another option is to price an entire road or collection of roads. A third approach is to establish prices for access to—or travel within—all roads in a specified zone, such as a cor-doned central business district. A fourth is to price the entire roadway system.Congestion pricing on a large scale requires extensive knowledge about congestion levels on all parts of the transportation system simultaneously and an understanding of how each driver’s decision to embark on a trip will affect system congestion.Vickrey pointed out that the decision to travel is made at the beginning of a trip, but the impact of the travel was felt along the entire route and per-sisted after the trip because of the nature of bottle-necks.In theory , under congestion pricing, a highway authority must anticipate economically efficient prices; communicate the prices to travelers, who then decide how to respond; and adjust the prices according to the responses—all in real time. Con-temporary high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes demonstrate how this works—prices are set dynamically , based on the traffic level in the priced lanes, and are changed frequently to maintain opti-mum traffic flow . Extending pricing beyond a sin-gle, limited highway corridor to a longer corridor orto a broader system of priced roadways introduces additional technical and political complexity . Obtaining an economically efficient outcome is only part of the equation. Perceptions of fairness are another, evident in establishing urban transit fares.Transit systems often charge a flat rate, regardless of time of day or of distance traveled. Although some systems—like the Washington, D.C., Metro—charge per distance traveled, with higher prices dur-ing peak hours, most systems have constant rates all day . No system charges higher rates on more con-gested or more popular routes—although the higher rates may be economically efficient. Many travelers would consider this treatment to be unfair by a government-run system.One option that perhaps is more practical than setting a different price for each minute of the day and each road on the system is a simplified system of user charges based on the time of day , type of road, and general location—for example, central business district, suburb, or rural area. After polit-ical compromises, however, the resulting system may not be the most economically efficient but, if done well, still would be more efficient than the sta-tus quo .Effects on the SystemUnless all roads are priced, motorists will have opportunities to shift travel to other parts of the sys-tem to avoid the charges. These motorists will incur the cost of using a less appealing route or mode. In addition, motorists who previously used the alter-nate route may experience the negative effects of higher traffic volumes and possibly more conges-tion. But because freeways carry so much traffic,pricing freeway use may instead have a positive impact on the system—a net win for society . Still,travelers on the priced freeway will be winning at the expense of those who no longer use the facility and of those who now must share the nonpriced roads with the displaced traffic.The extent to which nonpriced roads will expe-rience an increase, a decrease, or no change in con-gestion will depend in part on whether some of the revenue can be used to enhance the roads’ capacity and whether improved operations on the priced facility allow higher throughput. The optimum flow on a highway occurs when vehicles travel at about 45 miles per hour. When demand exceeds a certain point, speeds drop precipitously , allowing less throughput despite higher demand. This paradox is borne out daily in stop-and-go conditions on free-ways. Therefore if pricing can manage demand to maintain optimal travel speeds, throughput mayincrease in other parts of the system.P H O T O : I L L I N O I S T O L L W A YOpen road tolling lanes at the Irving Park Road Toll Plaza on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) in Illinois.Distributing the Revenue Distribution of public revenue is an age-old politi-cal issue. Concerns about equity and building polit-ical support for the congestion pricing concept may create a strong temptation to use revenues to com-pensate the losers and to spread benefits to favored groups. This may be the only practical way to build support for the concept and still yield a net positive contribution to society.Examples of potential revenue uses include the following:Investing in transit improvements in the affected area;Subsidizing improvements to the nonpriced part of the highway system—for example, to paral-lel arterials;Rebating motor fuel taxes;R educing general taxes, such as income or property taxes;Awarding grants to affected communities; and Allocating toll credits to all drivers, which some may use in full or trade-in any surplus for cash or tax rebates.University of California planners King, Manville, and Shoup have suggested that using congestion pricing revenue to compensate groups may make good sense (1). They argue that those who perceive themselves to be losers from congestion pricing are likely to form a strong political resistance to the concept. The targeted distribution of revenue would allow these groups to perceive themselves as win-ners and give their support to congestion pricing. Gaining Practical ExperienceIf the technology necessary for road pricing had been available at the beginning of the motor vehi-cle era, and if it had been used to capture the full marginal social cost of driving, communities might have developed differently. Urban areas perhaps would be more compact, with greater use of public transportation.But with little real-world expe-rience of congestion pricing,projecting the outcome isdifficult. Most of the pricingexperience in the UnitedStates has involved minoradjustments in tolls on toll facilities and HOT lanes. Lessons from these might not translate well to other types of pricing, such as the zone-based pricing that has been tried overseas in environments much different from those of the United States.The complexity of the technical and political aspects of congestion pricing suggests the need to approach these new ideas with caution, by con-ducting tests and undertaking analyses that are transparent, comprehensive, and methodologically correct. Practitioners also must respect the con-cerns of the affected constituencies.The testing of new congestion pricing ideas con-tinues in the United States. The articles in the rest of this issue report on what has been learned so far and on new ideas and insights that are emerging from experiments.AcknowledgmentsThe author gratefully acknowledges David Williams of the Oregon Department of Transportation for identifying the need for a plain-language treatment of this topic, and for his review of an earlier version of this work, and the research assistance of Evan Enarson-Hering of Cambridge Systematics and Alexander Heil, formerly of Cambridge Systematics. Reference1.King, D., M. Manville, and D. Shoup. The Political Calculusof Congestion Pricing. T ransport Policy, No. 14, pp. 111–123 (2007). /PoliticalCalculus.pdf. Additional ResourcesAdler, N., C. Nash, and E. Niskanen. Barriers to Efficient Cost-Based Pricing of Rail, Air, and Water T ransport Infrastruc-ture in Europe. 2003.Arnott, R. William Vickrey: Contributions to Public Policy.October 1997.Button, K. J. T ransport Economics, 2nd Edition. 1993. Hau, T. D. The Economic Fundamentals of Road Pricing: A Dia-grammatic Analysis. 1992.Lawphongpanich, S., and Y. Yin. Pareto Improving Congestion T olls for Road Networks. 2008.Lindsey, R. Do Economists Reach a Conclusion on Road Pricing?The Intellectual History of an Idea. 2006.Lindsey, R. C., and E. T. Verhoef. T raffic Congestion and Congestion Pricing. 2000.Prud’homme, R. Marginal Social Cost Pricing inT ransport Policy. Discussion paper, 7thACEA [European Automobile Manu-facturers Association] ScientificAdvisory Group Meeting.Schweitzer, L., and B. D. Taylor.Just Pricing: The DistributionalEffects of Congestion Pricing andSales T axes. Springer Science and Busi-ness Media, 2008.Verhoef, E. Marginal Cost-Based Pricing in T rans-port: Key Implementation Issues from the Economic Per-spective. /public/Ev_v2.pdf.Smart Tag transponder. Technological and conceptual ideas for congestion pricing are continually being tested.P H O T O:S H A N N O NR IC ETR NEWS 263 JULY–AUGUST 20097T R N E W S 263 J U L Y –A U G U S T 20098Bhatt is President, K.T .Analytics, Bethesda,Maryland; Higgins is Vice President, K.T .Analytics, Oakland,California; and Berg is an independent consul-tant in Silver Spring,Maryland.Only 15 years ago, congestion pricing was in its infancy in the United States.A private pricing project in Orange County , California, was in the plan-ning and design phase, and several other projects were in planning stages with support from the Fed-eral Congestion Pricing Pilot Program. Since then,the Orange County project started operations, and the federal program has supported more than 50congestion pricing projects and studies in more than a dozen states, with more than 20 projects now oper-ating. The projects implemented or under investiga-tion include the pricing of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes and new express lanes, the conversion of toll or toll-free facilities to variable tolls, and appli-cation of congestion pricing within a region.HOT Lane ConversionsThe most common application of congestion pricing in the United States involves the conversion of HOV lanes into high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, which allow drivers of vehicles that do not meet the occu-pancy requirements to buy-in to the lanes by paying a toll that varies by time of day or by the level of con-gestion or demand. A rationale for converting to HOT lanes is that the HOV lanes are underused, despite increased congestion on the adjacent main lanes. Electronic tolling ensures high-speed access to the restricted lanes and the setting of rates to maintain the free flow of traffic. In this way , HOT lanes provide travelers facing traffic congestion with new choices.Motorists can choose to continue on the main untolled lanes at the available speed, or pay a toll to gain access to a high-speed alternative, or meet the minimum occupancy requirements and use the high-speed lanes for free. Some major HOT lane conver-sion projects are summarized in Table 1 (page 9).The earliest HOT lane conversion was the I-15FasTrak facility , which opened in 1996 in San Diego,California. The FasTrak tolls vary with the level of demand to maintain free-flowing traffic. Fees can vary as often as every 6 minutes, typically in 25-cent increments. Message signs at the entrance inform motorists of the current fee. Tolls typically vary between $0.50 and $4.00, but can reach $8.00 dur-ing peak periods. The average toll rate is approxi-mately $1.25 and seldom exceeds $4.00. Savings in travel time average 20 minutes per journey .Another early example is I-10 in Houston, T exas .The freeway’s HOV lane, which required a minimum of three occupants (HOV-3), was converted in 1998 to a HOT lane. Drivers of two-occupant vehicles can buy-in to the lanes during the times that three-occu-pant vehicles have access for free. This QuickRide program increased HOV-2 volume by 40 percent,while the HOV-3 volume decreased by less than 3 per-cent. The total volume on the HOT lane increased by 21 percent during the morning peak. The average speed on the general-purpose lanes was 25 miles per hour (mph) but exceeded 55 mph on the HOT lane,yielding a 17-minute time savings for the 13-mile trip. More recent examples of HOT lane conversions include I-25/US-36 in Denver, Colorado, started in 2006; the MnPASS I-394 project in Minneapolis,Minnesota, begun in 2005; and two that opened inU.S. and Worldwide Experience with Congestion PricingAn OverviewK I R A N B H A T T , T H O M A S H I G G I N S , A N D J O H N T. B E R GPricing Road Use to Address CongestionP HOTO : T REVOR W RAYTON , V IRGINIA D EPARTMENTOFT RANSPORTATIONThe Capital Beltway HOT Lanes Project is currently under construction in Northern Virginia.。
Traffic congestion has become a common issue in many cities around the world, especially during rush hours. It not only wastes a lot of time but also causes air pollution and noise pollution. Here are some reasons and solutions for this problem.Firstly, the increasing number of vehicles is the main reason for traffic congestion. With the improvement of peoples living standards, more and more people can afford cars. However, the roads are not expanding as fast as the number of vehicles is growing. This leads to heavy traffic on the roads, especially during peak hours.Secondly, poor urban planning is also a contributing factor to traffic congestion. In some cities, the roads are not well designed, and there are not enough roads to meet the traffic demand. Moreover, some roads are too narrow, which makes it difficult for vehicles to pass through smoothly.To solve the traffic congestion problem, several measures can be taken. Firstly, governments can encourage people to use public transportation by improving the quality and convenience of public transport services. This can reduce the number of private cars on the roads.Secondly, governments can invest in the construction of more roads and expand the existing ones to accommodate more vehicles. They can also improve the road system by adding more lanes and overpasses.Thirdly, traffic management can be enhanced by using advanced technology, such as traffic lights and road signs, to control the flow of vehicles. Traffic police can also be deployed to direct traffic during peak hours.In conclusion, traffic congestion is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. By taking the above measures, we can alleviate the traffic congestion and make our cities more livable. It requires the joint efforts of governments, citizens, and businesses to create a better traffic environment.。
The automobile has become an integral part of modern society,offering a myriad of benefits and conveniences,yet it also brings with it a set of challenges and drawbacks. Here is an essay discussing the pros and cons of automobiles in English.Title:The Pros and Cons of AutomobilesIntroduction:The automobile has revolutionized the way we live and travel.It has transformed our cities,economies,and lifestyles.However,with every advantage comes a potential downside.This essay will explore the benefits and drawbacks of automobiles in our daily lives.Body:Pros of Automobiles:1.Convenience:Owning a car provides unparalleled convenience.It allows individuals to travel at their own pace,without relying on public transportation schedules.2.TimeSaving:Cars can significantly reduce travel time,especially for long distances. This efficiency can lead to increased productivity and more time for leisure activities.3.Personal Freedom:Cars offer a sense of freedom and independence.They enable people to explore new places and travel off the beaten path.fort:Traveling in a personal vehicle can be more comfortable than using public transport,with control over the environment,such as temperature and music.5.Emergency Readiness:Having a car can be crucial in emergencies,providing quick access to hospitals or other essential services.Cons of Automobiles:1.Environmental Impact:The combustion engines of cars contribute to air pollution and climate change.Emissions from vehicles are a significant source of greenhouse gases.2.Traffic Congestion:As the number of cars on the road increases,so does traffic congestion.This not only wastes time but also leads to increased stress and frustration.3.Cost:Cars are expensive to purchase,maintain,and insure.The ongoing costs of fuel,repairs,and parking can be a financial burden for many families.4.Safety Concerns:Despite advancements in safety features,car accidents are still a leading cause of injury and death worldwide.Distracted driving and speeding contribute to this issue.5.Urban Planning Challenges:The prevalence of cars has led to the need for more roads and parking spaces,which can encroach on green spaces and contribute to urban sprawl.Conclusion:While automobiles offer numerous advantages,such as convenience and personal freedom,they also present significant challenges,including environmental harm and traffic issues.As we move forward,it is crucial to find a balance between the benefits of car ownership and the need for sustainable and efficient transportation solutions.The rise of electric vehicles and improved public transport systems may offer a path toward mitigating some of the negative impacts of traditional automobiles.。
Traffic congestion is a pressing issue in many urban areas around the world.It not only disrupts daily commutes but also has significant environmental and economic impacts.Here are some of the key aspects related to this topic:1.Causes of Traffic Congestion:The primary reasons for traffic congestion include a high volume of vehicles on the road,inadequate road infrastructure,poor traffic management,and accidents.Additionally,population growth and urbanization contribute to the increase in the number of vehicles.2.Effects on Environment:Traffic jams lead to increased emissions from vehicles, contributing to air pollution and climate change.The idling of cars in traffic also wastes fuel,which is not only economically inefficient but also harmful to the environment.3.Economic Impact:Congestion can lead to increased travel times,which in turn affects productivity.Businesses may suffer from late deliveries and increased operational costs due to time spent in traffic.Moreover,the cost of maintaining and expanding road infrastructure to accommodate growing traffic is significant.4.Health Implications:Prolonged exposure to traffic congestion can have negative effects on mental and physical health.Stress levels can rise due to the frustration of being stuck in traffic,and air pollution from vehicle emissions can lead to respiratory problems and other health issues.5.Solutions to Traffic Congestion:Various strategies can be employed to alleviate traffic congestion,such as improving public transportation systems,encouraging the use of bicycles and walking,implementing congestion pricing,and investing in smart traffic management systems.Urban planning that prioritizes mixeduse development can also help reduce the need for long commutes.6.Role of Technology:Advancements in technology,such as autonomous vehicles, ridesharing apps,and realtime traffic monitoring systems,have the potential to reduce congestion by optimizing traffic flow and reducing the number of vehicles on the road.7.Public Awareness and Behavior Change:Educating the public about the benefits of using public transport,carpooling,and adjusting travel times to avoid peak hours can also contribute to reducing traffic congestion.ernment Policies and Regulations:Governments play a crucial role in implementing policies that can help reduce traffic congestion,such as investing in public transportation,enforcing traffic laws,and promoting sustainable urban development.9.International Comparisons:Looking at how other countries manage their traffic can provide insights into best practices and innovative solutions that can be adapted to different contexts.10.Future Outlook:As cities continue to grow,it is essential to plan for sustainable transportation systems that can accommodate increasing demand without exacerbating congestion.This includes considering the integration of new technologies and innovative urban planning strategies.Addressing traffic congestion requires a multifaceted approach that involves government, businesses,and individuals working together to create a more efficient and sustainable transportation system.。
Traffic congestion has become a common issue in many cities around the world, especially during rush hours. It not only wastes a lot of time but also causes air pollution and noise pollution. Here are some reasons and solutions for this problem.Firstly, the increasing number of vehicles is the main reason for traffic congestion. With the improvement of peoples living standards, more and more people can afford cars. However, the roads are not expanding as fast as the number of vehicles is growing. This leads to heavy traffic on the roads, especially during peak hours.Secondly, poor urban planning is also a contributing factor to traffic congestion. In some cities, the roads are not well designed, and there are not enough roads to meet the traffic demand. Moreover, some roads are too narrow, which makes it difficult for vehicles to pass through smoothly.To solve the traffic congestion problem, several measures can be taken. Firstly, governments can encourage people to use public transportation by improving the quality and convenience of public transport services. This can reduce the number of private cars on the roads.Secondly, governments can invest in the construction of more roads and expand the existing ones to accommodate more vehicles. They can also improve the road system by adding more lanes and overpasses.Thirdly, traffic management can be enhanced by using advanced technology, such as traffic lights and road signs, to control the flow of vehicles. Traffic police can also be deployed to direct traffic during peak hours.In conclusion, traffic congestion is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. By taking the above measures, we can alleviate the traffic congestion and make our cities more livable. It requires the joint efforts of governments, citizens, and businesses to create a better traffic environment.。
雅思大作文关于交通Traffic congestion is a major issue in many cities around the world, and it has significant impacts on people's daily lives, the environment, and the economy. This essay will explore the causes of traffic congestion, its effects, and potential solutions to this problem.One of the main causes of traffic congestion is the increasing number of vehicles on the road. As the population of urban areas continues to grow, more and more people are purchasing cars, leading to overcrowded roads and highways. In addition, the lack of efficient public transportation systems in many cities also contributes to the problem, as people are forced to rely on their own vehicles to get around.The effects of traffic congestion are far-reaching and can have a significant impact on people's lives. For one, it leads to increased stress and frustrationfor drivers, as they are forced to spend more time sitting in traffic and less time with their families or engaging in leisure activities. Furthermore, traffic congestion also has negative effects on the environment, as it leads to increased air pollution and carbon emissions. This can have serious health implications for people living in urban areas, as poor air quality can lead to respiratory problems and other health issues.In addition to its impact on individuals and the environment, traffic congestion also has economic consequences. The time and fuel wasted sitting in traffic jams cost the economy billions of dollars each year. Furthermore, businesses suffer as a result of traffic congestion, as it leads to delays in the delivery of goods and services, and can discourage potential customers fromvisiting their establishments.There are several potential solutions to the problem of traffic congestion, and many cities around the world are already implementing measures to address this issue. One approach is to invest in public transportation infrastructure, such asexpanding and improving bus and train services, and building more bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly pathways. This can help to reduce the number of cars on the road and provide people with viable alternatives to driving.Another potential solution is to implement congestion pricing, where drivers are charged a fee for using certain roads or entering certain areas during peak hours. This has been successful in cities like London and Singapore, where it has helped to reduce traffic congestion and generate revenue for transportation infrastructure improvements.Furthermore, city planners can also work to improve traffic flow by implementing smarter traffic management systems, such as synchronized traffic lights and intelligent transportation systems. These technologies can help to optimize the flow of traffic and reduce congestion on the roads.In conclusion, traffic congestion is a significant problem that has wide-ranging impacts on people's lives, the environment, and the economy. However, there are a number of potential solutions to this issue, and it is important for cities to continue to invest in public transportation infrastructure, implement congestion pricing, and improve traffic management systems in order to address this problem. By taking action to reduce traffic congestion, cities can improve the quality of life for their residents and create more sustainable and livable urban environments.。
Traffic congestion has become a common issue in many cities around the world, especially during rush hours. It not only wastes a lot of time but also causes air pollution and noise pollution. Here are some reasons and solutions for this problem.Firstly, the increasing number of vehicles is the main reason for traffic congestion. With the improvement of peoples living standards, more and more people can afford cars. However, the roads are not expanding as fast as the number of vehicles is growing. This leads to heavy traffic on the roads, especially during peak hours.Secondly, poor urban planning is also a contributing factor to traffic congestion. In some cities, the roads are not well designed, and there are not enough roads to meet the traffic demand. Moreover, some roads are too narrow, which makes it difficult for vehicles to pass through smoothly.To solve the traffic congestion problem, several measures can be taken. Firstly, governments can encourage people to use public transportation by improving the quality and convenience of public transport services. This can reduce the number of private cars on the roads.Secondly, governments can invest in the construction of more roads and expand the existing ones to accommodate more vehicles. They can also improve the road system by adding more lanes and overpasses.Thirdly, traffic management can be enhanced by using advanced technology, such as traffic lights and road signs, to control the flow of vehicles. Traffic police can also be deployed to direct traffic during peak hours.In conclusion, traffic congestion is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. By taking the above measures, we can alleviate the traffic congestion and make our cities more livable. It requires the joint efforts of governments, citizens, and businesses to create a better traffic environment.。
关于交通拥堵的英文作文英文:Traffic congestion has become a major issue in many cities around the world. As someone who lives in a busy city, I have experienced the frustration of being stuck in traffic for hours on end. There are several reasons for traffic congestion, including the increase in population, the rise of personal vehicles, and poor infrastructure.One of the main causes of traffic congestion is the increase in population. As more people move into cities, the number of vehicles on the road also increases. This puts a strain on the road network, causing traffic jams and delays. Another reason for traffic congestion is the rise of personal vehicles. Many people now own cars, which they use to commute to work or run errands. This has led to an increase in traffic on the roads, making it more difficult to get around.Poor infrastructure is also a contributing factor to traffic congestion. In many cities, the roads are not designed to handle the volume of traffic that theycurrently experience. This leads to bottlenecks and delays, which make it difficult for drivers to get to their destinations on time.To address the issue of traffic congestion, there are several solutions that can be implemented. One solution is to improve public transportation. This would encourage people to use public transport instead of their personal vehicles, reducing the number of cars on the road. Another solution is to invest in better infrastructure, including wider roads and better traffic management systems. This would help to reduce bottlenecks and improve the flow of traffic.In conclusion, traffic congestion is a major issue that affects many cities around the world. While there are several reasons for this problem, there are also solutions that can be implemented to reduce congestion and make our cities more livable.中文:交通拥堵已经成为世界上许多城市的主要问题。
Traffic congestion is a pressing issue that plagues many urban areas around the world.It not only affects the daily commute of individuals but also has broader implications for the economy,environment,and overall quality of life.In this essay,we will explore the causes of traffic congestion,its consequences,and potential solutions to alleviate this problem.Causes of Traffic Congestion1.Population Growth:As cities expand,the number of vehicles on the road increases, leading to more traffic.2.Urban Sprawl:The spread of cities into suburban areas often results in longer commutes,which can exacerbate congestion.3.Inadequate Public Transportation:In many cities,public transportation systems are underdeveloped,encouraging reliance on personal vehicles.4.Road Infrastructure:Poorly designed or insufficient road networks can lead to bottlenecks and traffic jams.5.Economic Factors:Economic prosperity often leads to an increase in car ownership, contributing to congestion.6.Cultural and Behavioral Factors:In some cultures,owning a car is seen as a status symbol,which can lead to more cars on the road.Consequences of Traffic Congestion1.Time Loss:Commuters spend more time stuck in traffic,which can lead to stress and reduced productivity.2.Environmental Impact:Increased vehicle emissions contribute to air pollution and climate change.3.Economic Costs:Traffic congestion can lead to higher transportation costs for businesses and individuals,as well as reduced economic activity.4.Health Issues:Prolonged exposure to vehicle emissions can lead to respiratory problems and other health issues.5.Safety Concerns:Congested roads can increase the risk of accidents,leading to injuries and fatalities.Potential Solutions to Traffic Congestion1.Improving Public Transportation:Investing in efficient,reliable,and affordable public transit can reduce the number of cars on the road.2.Urban Planning:Designing cities with mixeduse spaces can reduce the need for long commutes and encourage walking and cycling.3.Traffic Management:Implementing intelligent traffic systems and better traffic management can optimize the flow of traffic.4.Carpooling and Ridesharing:Encouraging carpooling and ridesharing can reduce the number of vehicles on the road.5.Congestion Pricing:Implementing congestion pricing in hightraffic areas can discourage unnecessary car use.6.Promoting Sustainable Transportation:Encouraging the use of electric vehicles, bicycles,and other sustainable modes of transportation can reduce emissions and congestion.cational Campaigns:Raising awareness about the impacts of traffic congestion and promoting alternative transportation options can change public behavior.In conclusion,traffic congestion is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach. By understanding its causes and consequences,and by implementing a combination of the solutions outlined above,cities can work towards reducing traffic congestion and improving the quality of life for their residents.It is essential for policymakers,urban planners,and the public to work together to create sustainable and efficient transportation systems that can accommodate the needs of a growing population while minimizing the negative impacts on the environment and society.。
Traffic congestion and congestion pricingC. Robin Lindsey and Erik T. V erhoefDepartment of Economics University of Alberta Department of Spatial EconomicsFree University AmsterdamAbstractFor several decades growth of traffic volumes has outstripped investments in road infrastructure. The result has been a relentless increase in traffic congestion. This paperreviews the economic principles behind congestion pricing in static and dynamic settings,which derive from the benefits of charging travellers for the externalities they create. Specialattention is paid to various complications that make simple textbook congestion pricingmodels of limited relevance, and dictate that congestion pricing schemes be studied from theperspective of the theory of the second best. These complications include pricing in networks,heterogeneity of users, stochastic congestion, interactions of the transport sector with the restof the economy, and tolling on private roads. Also the implications of congestion pricing foroptimal road capacity are considered, and finally some explanations for the longstanding social and political resistance to road pricing are offered.Key words: congestion, road pricing, networksJEL codes: R41, R48, D621. IntroductionFor several decades growth of traffic volumes has outstripped investments in road infrastructure. The result has been a relentless increase in traffic congestion. Congestion imposes various costs on travellers: reduced speeds and increased travel times, a decrease in travel time reliability, greater fuel consumption and vehicle wear, inconvenience from rescheduling trips or using alternative travel modes, and (in the longer run) the costs of relocating residences and jobs. The costs of increased travel times and fuel consumption alone are estimated to amount to hundreds of dollars per capita per year in the US (Schrank and Lomax, 1999) and comparable values have been reported for Europe.Traffic congestion is a consequence of the nature of supply and demand: capacity is time- consuming and costly to build and is fixed for long time periods, demand fluctuates over time,and transport services cannot be stored to smooth imbalances between capacity and demand.V arious policies to curb traffic congestion have been adopted or proposed over the years. The traditional response is to expand capacity by building new roads or upgrading existing ones. A second method is to reduce demand by discouraging peak-period travel, limiting access tocongested areas by using permit systems and parking restrictions, imposing bans on commercial vehicles during certain hours, and so on. A third approach is to improve the efficiency of the road system, so that the same demand can be accommodated at a lower cost.Re-timing of traffic lights, metering access to highway entrance ramps, high-occupancy vehicle lanes and Advanced Traveller Information Systems are examples of such measures.This paper is concerned with congestion pricing as a tool for alleviating traffic congestion. The insight for congestion pricing comes from the observation that people tend to make socially efficient choices when they are faced with all the social benefits and costs of their actions. As just noted various demand management tools to accomplish this can be used.But congestion pricing is widely viewed by economists as the most efficient means because it employs the price mechanism, with all its advantages of clarity, universality, and efficiency. Pigou (1920) and Knight (1924) were the first to advocate it. But it was the late William Vickrey, who steadfastly promoted congestion pricing for some forty years, who was arguably the most influential in making the case on both theoretical and practical grounds. In one of his early advocacy pieces, Vickrey (1963) identified the potential for road pricing to influence travellers‟ choice of route and travel mode, and its implications for land use. He also discussed alternative methods of automated toll collection. Another of his early proposals was to set parking fees in real time as a function of the occupancy rate. An overview of Vickrey‟s contributions to pricing of urban private and public transport is found in Arnott et al. (1994,pp. 271-5).As Vickrey‟s work makes clear, true congestion pricing entails setting tolls that match the severity of congestion, which requires that tolls vary according to time, location, type of vehicle and current circumstances (e.g. accidents or bad weather). Congestion pricing is common in other sectors of the economy —from telephone rates and air fares to hotels and public utilities. But despite the efforts of Vickrey and other economists, congestion pricing is still rarely used on roads. Tolls are not charged on most roads, and fuel taxes do not vary with traffic volumes. And costs of registration, licensing and insurance do not even depend on distance travelled. Nevertheless, the number of applications and experiments in road pricing is slowly growing, spurred on by the combined impetus of worsening traffic conditions and advances in automatic vehicle identification technology. Descriptions of various road pricing schemes, including Singapore‟s pioneering toll system, Scandinavian toll-rings, and Californian pay-lanes are found in Gómez-Ibáñez and Small (1994) and Small and Gómez Ibáñez (1998).This paper is organized along similar lines to the review of congestion modelling in Lindsey and V erhoef (2000). Section 2 starts by outlining the basic economic principles of congestion pricing in a simple static (…time-independent‟) setting with one road. Section 3 adds a t ime element by considering travellers‟ time-of-use decisions and time-varying tolls. V arious complications are addressed in Section 4, including pricing in networks,heterogeneity of users, stochastic congestion, interactions of the transport sector with the rest of the economy, and tolling on private roads. Section 5 considers the implications of congestion pricing for optimal road capacity. Explanations for the longstanding social and political resistance to road pricing are offered in Section 6, and conclusions are drawn in Section 7. Due to space constraints some topics related to congestion pricing are not covered in this review. There is no explicit treatment of freight transportation. Nothing is said about the implications of congestion pricing for urban structure or the location of new developments. And only passing mention in Section 4 is given to the potential effectsof congestion pricing on traffic noise, pollution, and traffic accidents.2. Congestion pricing in time-independent modelsThe basic principles of congestion pricing can be illustrated in the following simple setting.Consider one origin and one destination connected by a single road. Individuals make trips alone in identical vehicles. Traffic flows, speeds and densities are uniform along the road and independent of time. Equilibrium in this setting is described in Figure 1, which is due to Walters (1961). The horizontal axis depicts traffic flow or volume: the rate at which trips are initiated and completed. The vertical axis depicts the price or …generalized cost‟ of a trip —which includes vehicle operating costs, the time costs of travel, and any toll. At low volumes vehicles can travel at the free-flow speed, and the trip cost curve, C(q), is constant at the free-flow cost Cff At higher volumes congestion develops, speed falls, and C(q) slopes upwards. The fact that a toll is required to support the social optimum reveals the fallacy that travellers fully pay for the congestion they cause through the time they personally lose.Analogously, a person squeezing through a crowd, a shopper queuing in line at a supermarket counter, or a person reading a popular library book after a long wait for it, impose costs on others that they do not themselves bear.3. Congestion pricing in time-dependent modelsTime-dependent models of congestion build on time-independent models by adding two elements: a specification of how travel demand depends on time, and a specification of how traffic flows evolve over time and space. To maintain focus on the time elements of congestion pricing, attention will be limited as in Section 2 to a single road joining one origin and one destination. Until near the end of Section 3 it will also be assumed that the total number of trips is fixed; i.e. price inelastic. But heterogeneity in the trip-timing preferences and time costs of travellers is allowed.Several policy lessons can now be drawn. First, congestion pricing not only reduces travel times but also affects schedule delay costs. A cost-benefit analysis that considered only travel times could be biased either for or against a congestion pricing project, and might lead either to unwarranted acceptance or rejection of it. Second, the efficiency gains from congestion pricing are of the same order of magnitude as toll revenue, and can even exceed it. By contrast, the efficiency gains from flat tolls computed using static models can be dwarfed by the toll transfers involved. This suggests that the economics of dynamic congestion pricing schemes are not as sensitive to the costs of infrastructure and operation as are the economics of tolling schemes in static models. Third, congestion pricing has welfare distributional effects on travellers that tend to favour those with high values of time. Because value of time is positively correlated with income, this is consistent with the conventional view that tolling is regressive. Finally, under the fine toll all individuals pay the full marginal social costs of their trips, regardless of their respective characteristics and of when they travel.4. Second-best issues in congestion pricingSections 2 and 3 have outlined the principles of congestion pricing when tolls can be set to match the external costs generated by each traveller. Such pricing is called …first-best‟congestion pri cing because it supports a first-best optimum in which roadsare used at maximum efficiency. Although useful as a theoretical benchmark, first-best pricing is increasingly recognized as of limited practical relevance. Attention has turned in the recent lit erature to more realistic types of …second-best‟ congestion pricing, in which various costs or constraints deter or prevent the setting of first-best tolls. Examples of second-best tolling include the use of toll-cordons around cities instead of tolling each road in the network, the use of step-tolls instead of smoothly time-varying tolls, tolling according to a fixed daily schedule rather than day-specific traffic conditions, etc. The rules for setting optimal second-best tolls are generally quite complicated because they must reflect all sorts of indirect effects,both good and bad.Evidence that congestion pricing may well produce adverse network effects is suggested by a recent study by May and Milne (2000). Using steady-state equilibrium simulations on a road network in Cambridge, UK, they compare congestion pricing with three other road pricing schemes: cordon pricing, time-based pricing, and distance-based pricing. The tolls considered were not second-best optimal tolls as described above, but various exogenously determined toll levels instead. All four schemes were found to be prone to adverse boundaryeffects, including “rat running” (where road users seek untolled routes). More discouragingly,a smaller percentage of travellers enjoyed travel time reductions with congestion pricing than with the other schemes. By inducing travellers to re-route to less congested roads, congestion pricing also had a tendency to increase travel distances —with potentially adverse environmental effects. These findings suggest that route-choice decisions deserve particular scrutiny in the design and evaluation of real-world congestion pricing projects. De Borger & Proost (2000) report on the relative efficiency of km-charges, fuel charges, parking charges and public transport pricing for different cities and countries, using the multi-modal TRENEN-model. They find that parking charges combined with cordons can achieve efficiencies of more than 70% of the first-best ideal in some cases, while the potential of fuel pricing and public transport pricing is rather limited.One consideration not addressed in these studies is the attitude of drivers toward tolling under uncertainty. It is unclear as yet from the limited formal research whether drivers are better off in terms of expected travel costs under nonresponsive or responsive pricing. Some surveys have found that drivers dislike uncertainty about how much they will have to pay in tolls. Aversion to uncertainty about payment was one of the reasons for opposition to the congestion metering project planned for Cambridge, England, in which vehicles would have been charged on the basis of actual congestion experienced. However, drivers have been receptive to the recent adoption of responsive pricing on Interstate I-15 north of San Diego. Further research is clearly called for on the economics and politics of road pricing under uncertainty.5. The social and political feasibility of congestion pricingDespite its economic appeal, road congestion pricing appears to enjoy little support outside academia. The limited social and, consequently, political support for congestion pricing has caused many proposed schemes to be abandoned beforeimplementation, or at least to be postponed (sometimes indefinitely). These include detailed plans for Hong Kong, London, The Randstad, and Stockholm (Small and Gómez-Ibáñez, 1998).One important reason for opposition to congestion pricing was identified in Section 2:before redistribution of toll revenues, everybody except the taxman appears to be worse off.This results should be qualified on two counts. First, if congestion takes the form of pure queuing and users have identical values of time, a fine toll leaves users equally well off Second, users with a high value of travel time may benefit from congestion pricing even before revenue recycling; see Section 3, Richardson (1974), and supporting empirical evidence from a Dutch survey by V erhoef et al. (1997a). Still, because value of time is positively correlated with income, this implies that road pricing is regressive —which is unlikely to improve the social acceptability of congestion pricing.According to economists, congestion pricing is the best instrument for controlling congestion. Y et the bulk of empirical evidence suggests that, even with cleverly designed tolling mechanisms and toll revenue allocation schemes, congestion pricing is likely to remain difficult to implement. It is no coincidence that the only area-wide congestion pricing scheme currently in operation is in Singapore, where the culture allows the government to implement unpopular policies. Indeed, Frick et al. (1996) infer from the series of failed attempts to implement congestion pricing on the San Francisco Bay Bridge that both the public and officials must be convinced that no feasible alternative to congestion pricing exists before it will be accepted.6. ConclusionGiven forecasts of continuing growth in road travel, and the reduced scope for expansion of road infrastructure, traffic congestion is not a problem that will go away soon. Recent advances in electronic vehicle identification and automated charging technologies have made congestion pricing a viable means of combating traffic congestion, rather than just an academic curiosum. This paper reviews the economic principles behind congestion pricing,which derive from the benefits of charging travellers for the externalities they create.Attention is paid to various complications that make simple textbook congestion pricing models of limited relevance, and dictate that congestion pricing schemes be studied from the perspective of the theory of the second best.Despite the economic case for congestion pricing, it has attracted strong social and political opposition, and assorted legal and institutional constraints create further barriers to implementation. 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