People see traffic congestion as a “problem” that needs to get “fixed” – but fixed is defined in the narrowest of terms. In other words, for too many people, the only way congestion can be appropriately corrected is if everyone can still live in the suburbs, can still commute 20 miles each way to work, can cruise down freeways at 60 mph at any hour of the day, and not have to pay a dime to do it. It’s that attitude that puts so much pressure on government to resist implementing solutions like smart tolls and congestion pricing. It’s that attitude that pressures politicians to vote against gasoline tax hikes. Vote for a higher gasoline tax and you might be able to fill in pot-holes or vote to toll the local highway and you might be able to slash traffic congestion, but you’ll probably get tossed out of office. Resist the change and people will whine and complain and demand action but at least you’ll get to keep your job.
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