Toll foes

The MTA's study of congestion pricing is getting strong reaction. The Times' Rong-Gong Lin II reports that AAA is lined up against allowing toll-paying motorists into carpool lanes:

Still, the idea of allowing solo motorists who pay a toll to use carpool lanes is already generating strong opposition from some commuters as well as auto advocacy groups. "We feel it will be a form of double taxation to charge people for the roads they have already paid for by gas taxes," said Hamid Bahadori, principal transportation engineer for the Automobile Club of Southern California. "Rather than trying to restrict access, they had better start delivering on the projects."

The story includes a reader poll on the issue.

Comments

[Anthony Fernandez]

Los Angeles has a chance right now to have a world class transportation system. Make every carpool lane 2 lanes wide. To get that extra lane, take away a land from regular motorists. Then, restrict carpool lanes to those cars that have 3 people or those who will pay a toll. Then, congestion will go down, and LA will have enough money for rail projects. I hope the MTA will go for a plan like this.