Comments on: Forecast for Ports Is Low, What Does That Mean for Widenings? http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/08/17/forecast-for-ports-is-low-what-does-that-mean-for-widenings/ Covering Los Angeles's livable streets movement Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alex Thompson http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/08/17/forecast-for-ports-is-low-what-does-that-mean-for-widenings/comment-page-1/#comment-28591 Alex Thompson Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:57:34 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=7901#comment-28591 "One thing that has made the American economy such a powerhouse over the last year is because it has always adjusted to changing circumstances and turn negative situations into positive ones." Uhhh, what? The American economy has been a disaster in the last year. Those elements which had large amounts of foreign investment in it actually helped take down European economies. “One thing that has made the American economy such a powerhouse over the last year is because it has always adjusted to changing circumstances and turn negative situations into positive ones.”

Uhhh, what? The American economy has been a disaster in the last year. Those elements which had large amounts of foreign investment in it actually helped take down European economies.

]]> By: limit http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/08/17/forecast-for-ports-is-low-what-does-that-mean-for-widenings/comment-page-1/#comment-23531 limit Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:39:43 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=7901#comment-23531 Short sighted fellows expand the truck route. Interestingly, just today I was working on an interrelated project in regard to the rail - the future expansion of the yard and how that will relate to the various truck route alternatives. Just a cool coincidence. Short sighted fellows expand the truck route.

Interestingly, just today I was working on an interrelated project in regard to the rail – the future expansion of the yard and how that will relate to the various truck route alternatives. Just a cool coincidence.

]]> By: DJB http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/08/17/forecast-for-ports-is-low-what-does-that-mean-for-widenings/comment-page-1/#comment-23511 DJB Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:48:26 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=7901#comment-23511 A slow recovery might delay widening plans, but it won't stop them forever without better ideas and the power to implement them. I think demand-based highway pricing (of existing lanes!) has a lot of potential, IF the money ISN'T used to expand the road system. This works as an incentive to ship cargo by rail or by truck during off-peak hours. Managing a scarce resource like highway space without prices has proven itself to be a total failure. We know the results: gridlock and widening proposal after widening proposal. The trick is what to do about the traffic that spills onto surface streets when highways are priced. Pricing surface streets as well via some sort of transponder system seems like the long-term solution (VMT tax). Prices are the ultimate incentive to conserve a scarce resource. Only give something away if you want people to use a lot of it. A slow recovery might delay widening plans, but it won’t stop them forever without better ideas and the power to implement them.

I think demand-based highway pricing (of existing lanes!) has a lot of potential, IF the money ISN’T used to expand the road system. This works as an incentive to ship cargo by rail or by truck during off-peak hours. Managing a scarce resource like highway space without prices has proven itself to be a total failure. We know the results: gridlock and widening proposal after widening proposal.

The trick is what to do about the traffic that spills onto surface streets when highways are priced. Pricing surface streets as well via some sort of transponder system seems like the long-term solution (VMT tax).

Prices are the ultimate incentive to conserve a scarce resource. Only give something away if you want people to use a lot of it.

]]> By: Derek http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/08/17/forecast-for-ports-is-low-what-does-that-mean-for-widenings/comment-page-1/#comment-23471 Derek Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:20:51 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=7901#comment-23471 A freeway that's frequently congested is a mismanaged one. Why throw more lanes at the problem? Isn't that the definition of insanity, to do something over and over again while expecting a different result? HOT lanes solve the congestion problem. A freeway that’s frequently congested is a mismanaged one. Why throw more lanes at the problem? Isn’t that the definition of insanity, to do something over and over again while expecting a different result?

HOT lanes solve the congestion problem.

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