THE ‘WEST COAST EXPRESS’
How our U.S. neighbours are dealing with congestion and road pricing
An independent commission studying new ways to pay for how we move around Metro Vancouver may seem new to British Columbians, but it’s a concept that’s been around on the West Coast for years.
State governments in California and and Washington are looking at and testing ways to introduce road pricing, while Oregon has had a program in place since 2015. Individual communities or counties have also explored or instituted road pricing, such as the toll roads in California’s Orange County. We’re one of the last areas on the coast to look at road pricing.
Here’s a look at what’s happening at home and nearby.
B.C. (METRO VANCOUVER)
WHY: The main reasons B.C. is looking at road pricing are to reduce traffic congestion on roads and bridges and find a long-term, stable source of funding for transportation investment, particularly transit improvements, in Metro Vancouver.
WHAT’S HAPPENED: Last year, TransLink’s Mayors’ Council committee appointed a Mobility Pricing Independent Commission to look at mobility pricing in the region. The commission launched its public engagement and research project in October and released its first-phase report on Jan. 16.
It is looking at decongestion or road pricing, and has narrowed its focus to two methods for further research: Congestion point charges and distance-based charges that vary by time and location. WHAT’S NEXT: The next phase of the commission’s work has already started and public engagement begins in mid-February. Final recommendations are due by the end of April and will be presented to the Mayors’ Council and TransLink’s board of directors for consideration.
WASHINGTON (STATEWIDE)
WHY: The Washington state legislature directed the transportation commission to find a sustainable, long-term revenue source for the transportation system and transition from the current gas tax, the revenue from which is expected to drop by 45 per cent by 2035. WHAT’S HAPPENED: The Washington State Transportation Commission put together a 25-member steering committee in 2012 and spent the next few years exploring whether a road-usage charge could work for the state.
Last year it began final preparations for the next step in its process: a year-long pilot project.
The pilot will allow drivers of up to 2,000 volunteer test vehicles to report their mileage in one of four ways: mileage permit, odometer charge, automated mileage meter and smartphone app.
Participants won’t be charged for their mileage yet.
WHAT’S NEXT: The state is planning to launch its pilot project early this year, the results of which will be evaluated and then forwarded to the governor and the state legislature for consideration in 2020.
OREGON (STATEWIDE)
WHY: As fuel tax revenues began diminishing, Oregon legislators looked into a way to better fund transportation projects like roads and bridges.
WHAT’S HAPPENED: Legislators formed a Road User Fee Task Force in 2001 to explore the state’s options and conducted pilot programs in 2006-07 and 2012-13.
In 2013, Oregon passed a senate bill establishing the country’s first mileage-based road usage program for light vehicles. OReGO launched on July 1, 2015, and consists of volunteers who pay 1.7 cents per mile (the rate went up on Jan. 1 from 1.5 cents per mile) to drive on the state’s roads. In exchange, they receive credits on their bill for the fuel tax they pay.
There is a choice of mileage reporting options, including a device that plugs into the vehicle and calculates the miles travelled without disclosing specific routes. Net revenue is transferred into the state’s highway fund to construct, maintain and preserve roads, bridges and rest areas.
WHAT’S NEXT: Legislation was introduced last year that would eliminate the 5,000-vehicle cap on vehicles eligible to participate in the program and make the program mandatory for new vehicles starting in 2026. The legislation is still at the committee stage.
CALIFORNIA (STATEWIDE)
WHY: Four years ago, California passed a bill to investigate a road charge as a way to replace its fuel tax — the revenue from which is declining thanks to better fuel efficiency and adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles — and pay for transportation infrastructure. WHAT’S HAPPENED: After a year and a half of preparation, California ran a nine-month road charge pilot program between July 2016 and March 2017 involving more than 5,000 vehicles statewide. A report was released in December outlining its findings.
The pilot used six mileage reporting and recording methods, including time permit, mileage permit, odometer charge, plug-in device, smartphone app and invehicle telematics. Close to 80 per cent of participants used a plug-in or app.
The pilot found that all mileage reporting methods worked. Manual options provide the most privacy for drivers, but are difficult to enforce and costly to administer, while high-tech options show promise but need more work. WHAT’S NEXT: The pilot program was considered an initial step and California plans to continue looking into the mechanics and policy issues of implementing a road charge.