Congestion and Wildfires

In January, New York began its Central Business District Tolling Program, while Los Angeles was hit by, and continues to battle, the most destructive wildfire in its history.

These are America’s two largest cities and these problems — crowded urban areas and natural disasters — represent two of the (many) era-defining challenges that our country faces. How each city handles its problems likely will have a lasting impact on the roads and bridges construction industry.

New York is tied with Chicago as the second-most congested city in the world, according to INRIX. The congestion tax, which is the first of its kind in the United States, applies to motor vehicle traffic south of 60th Street in Manhattan.

License plate-scanning cameras are being used to charge motorists. Revenue from the tax will go to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s capital plan.

Congestion tolling is not popular. Over half of New York voters disapprove of the plan, according to a poll. I have no interest in litigating whether or not the tax is a good idea. I’m more interested in the ramifications for the country if it works.

Congestion is a massive urban problem. Factors contributing to this include population growth, urbanization, inadequate public transit investment, increased car ownership, e-commerce and new delivery services, infrastructure limitations and new commuting patterns. 

If the tolling plan becomes a successful tool for funding MTA improvments, voters might change their minds, and Americans in other cities could see a similar tax. This could impact traffic patterns, mass transit, crash rates and road maintenance. 

The price of rebuilding after a natural disaster has become its own kind of tax. This charge has become all too common.

For example, since 2001, there have been 42 hurricanes that made landfall in the U.S., and each of those have cost an average of $22.8 billion in damages.

In Southern California, the fires likely have caused heat damage to asphalt roads and spalling in concrete. Some bridges may have lost structural integrity, roadway safety features might be destroyed and roads can be blocked by burned buildings or, eventually, mudslides.

It could cost $150 billion to rebuild Los Angeles, and a federal aid package will create a political fight. This is not the first time our leaders have squabbled over funding in the wake of a natural disaster and, sadly, it won’t be the last.

Natural disasters — wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, earthquakes, blizzards — destroy roads and bridges. And the price of rebuilding our infrastructure is only going to rise.

We need leaders who prepare us for these disasters and who want to invest in building durable and sustainable infrastructure.

If we fail to elect adults who can do this, then we risk not being able to rebuild following a future tragedy. If that happened, people would move to other cities and cause congestion. RB