Solutions for congestion:Cap and trade

Cap and trade: Driving into an urban centre requires a place to park, and so a number of European cities have begun to simply reduce the supply of parking spots within their core. Both Zurich and Hamburg have frozen the existing parking supply in the city centre, and when a new space is built off-street, an on-street space must be removed. These spots are then repurposed as widened sidewalks or bike lanes. In Copenhagen, where parking spots are removed at a rate of about 32 spots per year, traffic has dropped by 6 per cent since 2005, even though car ownership has gone up by 13 per cent. In addition to these cap-and-trade zones, the City of Zurich regulates how much new parking can be added by developers. A new building can only have parking spots if the surrounding roads can absorb the traffic without congestion, and air pollution levels will not be affected.

Cities get creative with solutions for traffic congestion woes

SIRI AGRELL and MURAT YUKSELIR

The Globe and Mail  Published Sunday, Aug. 21 2011, 11:39 PM EDT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/cities-get-creative-with-solutions-for-traffic-congestion-woes/article2136868/

Solutions for congestion; Charge

Charge: Anyone who takes a taxi is used to keeping a close eye on the meter. Some countries are considering a similar metered charge for private car use. A system hooked up to the Internet and GPS would calculate a charge for each trip based on a mileage-based formula that incorporates the car’s fuel efficiency. Driving on busy roads would cost more as would travel during rush hour. The Netherlands had planned to implement the system next year, but the policy was shelved when a new government was elected in 2010. Those who support the idea point out that the meters would replace tolls and congestion fees, and would be more equitable because they would be based on usage, not mere car ownership.

Cities get creative with solutions for traffic congestion woes

SIRI AGRELL and MURAT YUKSELIR

The Globe and Mail  Published Sunday, Aug. 21 2011, 11:39 PM EDT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/cities-get-creative-with-solutions-for-traffic-congestion-woes/article2136868/

Solutions for traffic congestion: Tax

Tax: Would you pay $30,000 just for permission to buy a car? In Singapore, prospective vehicle owners are required to first obtain a Certificate of Entitlement (COE), which can start at $48,000 in local currency for a small-size automobile. Only a specific number of COEs are released each month, part of government efforts to control the number of cars on its roads. The vehicle entitlement is valid for 10 years from the date of registration of the vehicle and the scheme aims to peg long-term vehicle population growth at 3 per cent a year. Those who cough up for the prohibitively expensive system must also pay registration fees and electronic road pricing, a series of congestion tolls that vary throughout the day according to usage. Some estimate that owning a Honda Civic in Singapore can cost more than $100,000.

Cities get creative with solutions for traffic congestion woes

SIRI AGRELL and MURAT YUKSELIR

The Globe and Mail  Published Sunday, Aug. 21 2011, 11:39 PM EDT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/cities-get-creative-with-solutions-for-traffic-congestion-woes/article2136868/