San Francisco congestion pricing

Traffic leaving and entering San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge.

San Francisco congestion pricing is a proposed traffic congestion user fee for vehicles traveling into the most congested areas of the city of San Francisco at certain periods of peak demand. The charge would be combined with other traffic reduction projects. The proposed congestion pricing charge is part of a mobility and pricing study being carried out by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) to reduce congestion at and near central locations and to reduce its associated environmental impacts, including cutting greenhouse gas emissions.[1] The funds raised through the charge will be used for public transit improvement projects, and for pedestrian and bike infrastructure and enhancements.[1][2]

This initiative is supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation.[1] The initial charging scenarios considered were presented in public meetings held in December 2008[3] and the final draft proposal, which called for implementation of a six-month to one-year trial in 2015, was discussed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (SFBS) in December 2010.[4][5] The SFBS decided to exclude the Southern Gateway scenario and authorized SFCTA to seek federal financing to continue further planning for the two Northeast Cordon options.[6][7]

If approved, it would likely be the first or second city-based congestion charge scheme in the United States, as a New York congestion pricing scheme is also being considered; that one is currently being planned for no earlier than 2023. It is to be similar to existing schemes that was first introduced in Singapore's Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system, and the subsequent cities such as London congestion charge, Stockholm congestion tax, and the Milan Area C that were inspired by it.[1] Under a separate initiative congestion pricing tolls were implemented at the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge in July 2010.

  1. ^ a b c d Gordon, Rachel (2008-11-24). "Planners to consider S.F. congestion charge". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference SFChronicle07 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Wollan, Malia (2009-01-04). "San Francisco Studies Fees to Ease Traffic". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
  4. ^ Gordon, Rachel (2010-11-11). "S.F. may hit drivers with variety of tolls". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2010-12-05.
  5. ^ Ishimaru, Heather (2010-11-10). "SF considers downtown congestion pricing". ABC7 News San Francisco. Retrieved 2010-12-05.
  6. ^ Silverfarb, Bill (2010-12-15). "San Francisco drops border toll idea". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  7. ^ Roth, Matthew (2010-12-14). "SF Congestion Pricing Study Moves Forward Without San Mateo Boundary". San Francisco Streets Blog. Retrieved 2010-12-31.