5 ms·

Because the next logical step is to allow jurisdictions (cities/counties/whatever) charge more tax on their roads.

83 5y ago
Oh boy just wait until the ultra wealthy realize they can lobby to have a $50 per mile road tax going into their community to discourage the poors from using their parks/beaches/public areas.
- throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  This is more or less the purpose of toll roads.
  - lotsofpulp 5y ago
    A dynamic toll can be used to reduce incentive to drive on the road at certain times. It's not feasible to make a 10 mile wide road due to congestion for 2 hours during the day. Solution? Increase the cost during those 2 hours such that fewer people choose to use the road during those hours. You can give poor people cash and they can decide if it's worth using that road during the times with higher congestion, but the problem of exceeding a road's capacity along with the inability to build infinite lane roads is separate from income/wealth gaps.
    - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
      Everyone already has to pay in time and frustration to use the roads when it is congested. Slapping a monetary fee on top gives priority to the wealthy. $10/day is a lot more when you make $12/hr. When you consider the flexibility afforded to well compensated white collar workers it becomes even less fair. The drywaller has every right to sit in stop and go traffic with the investment banker.
      - lotsofpulp 5y ago
        Yes, and that’s a distribution of wealth problem. Making both the drywalled and banker sit in traffic doesn't solve it. The banker will take a helicopter. Or leave the office early. Congested roads have externalities such as the congestion backing up into side streets, rubber banding the congestion along the rest of the road, and extra use of brakepads/fuel energy to stop and go. Spending time in congestion also adversely affects lower paid people because the cost of their time spent in congestion is implicit. If it was made explicit via tolls, then employers would have to pay better to get them to their workplace at peak congestion times.

83 5y ago

Oh boy just wait until the ultra wealthy realize they can lobby to have a $50 per mile road tax going into their community to discourage the poors from using their parks/beaches/public areas.

throwaway0a5e 5y ago
This is more or less the purpose of toll roads.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  A dynamic toll can be used to reduce incentive to drive on the road at certain times. It's not feasible to make a 10 mile wide road due to congestion for 2 hours during the day. Solution? Increase the cost during those 2 hours such that fewer people choose to use the road during those hours. You can give poor people cash and they can decide if it's worth using that road during the times with higher congestion, but the problem of exceeding a road's capacity along with the inability to build infinite lane roads is separate from income/wealth gaps.
  - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
    Everyone already has to pay in time and frustration to use the roads when it is congested. Slapping a monetary fee on top gives priority to the wealthy. $10/day is a lot more when you make $12/hr. When you consider the flexibility afforded to well compensated white collar workers it becomes even less fair. The drywaller has every right to sit in stop and go traffic with the investment banker.
    - lotsofpulp 5y ago
      Yes, and that’s a distribution of wealth problem. Making both the drywalled and banker sit in traffic doesn't solve it. The banker will take a helicopter. Or leave the office early. Congested roads have externalities such as the congestion backing up into side streets, rubber banding the congestion along the rest of the road, and extra use of brakepads/fuel energy to stop and go. Spending time in congestion also adversely affects lower paid people because the cost of their time spent in congestion is implicit. If it was made explicit via tolls, then employers would have to pay better to get them to their workplace at peak congestion times.