3 ms·

At $690 every four weeks for just one way, I simply don't see how this isn't a land grab of infrastructure for the exclusive use of the rich. At those rates eve

by mnm1 9y ago

At $690 every four weeks for just one way, I simply don't see how this isn't a land grab of infrastructure for the exclusive use of the rich. At those rates even well paid engineers can't afford the trip. If the round trip cost is the same, we're talking $1380 every four weeks. That's more than rent in most places. At those prices, you could literally hire someone to sit in the car with you for minimum wage and get by cheaper. Hell, for $70 a day, you can have this person wait outside your work for 8 hours a day and you'd still be better off than paying the toll ($60 for 8 hours at $7.50). DC already has a long tradition of "slugs" so maybe this could be the next evolution: slugs for hire. In the desperate society that infrastructure like this creates, that could be a highly sought after job.

mikeash 9y ago
For the exclusive use of the rich, or those lucky few people who can get two people into their car during the designated times. Note that previously it was only the latter.
apendleton 9y ago
It's a way to fund new infrastructure construction by only charging rich people instead of charging all users (e.g. by raising the gas tax) or everyone (income tax). It removes no options for existing users.
l1ambda 9y ago
"For the rich" is simplistic thinking. $34.50 is the marginal cost (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_cost); https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_cost); in other words, the price paid at the time the decision to use the lane is made. Consider the situation of person who has an early meeting he needs to get to, or a job interview on some particular day that he wants to arrive at on-time. Or a person who needs to get their kid to a tournament on a particular day. Studies show that people of all incomes prefer this sort of thing for these situations (in particular, and perhaps surprising to some, lower income people with multiple jobs who need to get from one to the other on-time), because sometimes you'd rather pay and get something of a guaranteed travel time that risk arriving late. Also, you may choose to only use the lane in the mornings or afternoons, or certain days of the week, etc.

by mnm1 9y ago

mikeash 9y ago

For the exclusive use of the rich, or those lucky few people who can get two people into their car during the designated times. Note that previously it was only the latter.

apendleton 9y ago

It's a way to fund new infrastructure construction by only charging rich people instead of charging all users (e.g. by raising the gas tax) or everyone (income tax). It removes no options for existing users.

l1ambda 9y ago

"For the rich" is simplistic thinking. $34.50 is the marginal cost (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_cost); https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_cost); in other words, the price paid at the time the decision to use the lane is made. Consider the situation of person who has an early meeting he needs to get to, or a job interview on some particular day that he wants to arrive at on-time. Or a person who needs to get their kid to a tournament on a particular day. Studies show that people of all incomes prefer this sort of thing for these situations (in particular, and perhaps surprising to some, lower income people with multiple jobs who need to get from one to the other on-time), because sometimes you'd rather pay and get something of a guaranteed travel time that risk arriving late. Also, you may choose to only use the lane in the mornings or afternoons, or certain days of the week, etc.