Panel Paper:
Is Congestion Pricing Unfair for Lower-Income Drivers? -- a Discussion on the Methodological Issues of Joe Cortright's Income Analysis
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Mary Graydon Center - Room 247 (American University)
*Names in bold indicate Presenter
One of the equity concerns regarding congestion pricing is that the higher tolls during rush hour unfairly affect lower-income drivers. However, Joe Cortright’s recent study shows that the peak hour drivers who are mostly likely to be affected by the policy has significantly higher income than other types of commuters and non-commuters in Portland, Oregon. This paper adopts Cortright’s approach to examine the income variations of different types of commuters and non-commuters in 15 US metropolitan areas. The paper also addresses the methodological issues of Cortright’s income analysis. Finally, the paper attempts to draw a conclusion on the equity of congestion pricing.
