GOV’S RICH-GET-QUICK TRAFFIC FIX SLAMMED
Drivers: Baker’s plan to ‘award wealth with speed’ a poor idea
Gov. Charlie Baker is eyeing the construction of special high-priced fast lanes to ease rush-hour congestion he says has hit a “tipping point,” but regular drivers are slamming the luxury lanes as unfair, galled by the idea of watching the rich race by them.
“I think it’s a bad idea to award wealth with speed,” said Adam Norcott of Marshfield, who commutes to Cambridge. “They should
make it more attractive to take the train in. People feel trapped, so they take their car.”
From a dense MassDOT report released Thursday that analyzes traffic and recommends ways to relieve congestion, Baker singled out the so-called “managed lanes” as having “significant merit.” The proposal calls for building additional tolled lanes along major routes, with “floating pricing” depending on the volume of traffic — with higher rates during rush hour, for an estimated minimum of $20-$30 a week. Buses would have free access.
“I believe it’s the fairest and most doable option with respect to congestion pricing models,” Baker said. “While drivers have a choice to commute in a faster lane for a cost, drivers who remain in the untolled lane will also experience lighter volume from those who peel off to the faster lane.”
Over the next year, MassDOT will analyze the feasibility of implementing the luxury lanes on highways in Greater Boston.
James Rooney of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, said, “MassDOT’s Congestion Report is confirmation of what we already know to be true about traffic congestion in and around Boston — it’s bad. The report also reinforces the need to address our public transit issues with more urgency.”
Chris Dempsey of Transportation for Massachusetts said his advocacy group supports the managed lanes concept, but only by using existing infrastructure, such as the HOV lanes, rather than building new roadways.
“We think that will actually be counterproductive to our goal of reducing traffic congestion,” Dempsey said. “If you build additional lanes it attracts more cars on the roads, and it makes other roads more congested because you’ve induced the demand.”
Matt Casale of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group said, “It’s hard to take seriously any proposal that recommends adding highway capacity in 2019. We have known for decades that building new highway lanes, even if they are tolled, doesn’t fix congestion — it encourages more driving. … We urge the governor to put the brakes on this idea.”
Greg Sullivan of the Pioneer Institute said, “The knock against the idea of tolled lanes is that it creates two classes of drivers — the rich and the poor. Those tolls could add up to a lot. It’s not affordable rates, that’s the problem, but I do think there are places where it does make sense, especially where you can use rapid transit buses.”
A highway in Virginia, cited in the report, has attracted national attention with daily tolls spiking over $40 because there are no limits on the price that solo drivers can be charged as congestion increases.
“Not everybody can afford that,” said Arqui Velez, who leaves his home in Central Falls, R.I., at 4:30 a.m. to get to Dorchester by 7 a.m. He called luxury lanes a “horrible” idea. “So while most people have to sit in traffic, people who have money just skip it. It’s inconsiderate. Something needs to be done, but not that.”
“No, no, no,” said Jazmine Anderson, 22, who commutes from Quincy to Boston. “We’re just trying to get to work, and we’re already paying an arm and a leg for food and housing.”