Comparing the efficiency of alternative policies for reducing traffic congestion

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Parry, IWH
• 署名单位: Resources for the Future
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/S0047-2727(00)00163-8
• 发表日期: 2002
• 页码: 333-362
• 关键词: externalities; efficiency effects; congestion taxes; single lane tolls; rail subsidies; gasoline taxes

摘要

This paper compares the efficiency of a single lane toll, a uniform congestion tax across freeway lanes, a gasoline tax, and a transit fare subsidy at reducing congestion. There are three conditions for an efficient outcome relating to travel across modes, across peak and off-peak periods, and sorting out drivers with high and low time costs across faster and slower freeway lanes. Each policy involves some inefficiency. Indeed the single lane toll, gasoline tax, and transit subsidy forego at least two-thirds of the efficiency gains under an 'ideal' congestion tax that varies across lanes. However the uniform congestion tax achieves over 90% of these gains. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.