Boston-area drivers spend a lot of time in traffic. Now after a controversial traffic plan in New York City saw immediate results, the question is — could congestion pricing be just down the road?
The average Boston driver wastes around 79 hours a year in traffic, according to the INRIX 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard.
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Now Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has appointed a Transportation Task Force to look into new ways to get things moving, and how to pay for those changes.
"When we think about transforming the system in the longer term, the report does recommend accessing new roadway pricing strategies," said Kate Dineen with A Better City.
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Those roadway pricing strategies could take travel down a few different routes.
From expanding tolls, like what we see on the Mass. Pike, to other main highways in and around Boston — to congestion pricing.
New York City just implemented its congestion pricing plan, and while far be it from Bostonians to follow New York in anything, the Big Apple has seen immediate results.
"It works, we are already seeing huge reductions in travel times," said Jarred Johnson with Transit Matters.
According to New York City transit officials, in the first week after the $9 congestion zone was implemented, 200,000 fewer vehicles entered, down nearly 8% from the same week last year.
"Pricing a good that I think sometimes people see as unlimited or free, but no, space in a congested downtown city, space is valuable," Johnson said.
But Dineen, president and CEO of A Better City and a member of the governor's task force, said a plan like that needs careful consideration.
"Boston is not Manhattan," she told NBC10 Boston. "The call from the task force is that, 'let's take a look at this,' — it is not 'let's do this tomorrow.'"
Congestion pricing took years to implement in New York, and public transit in the Boston area would have to continue to be built up to handle increased demand.
"Are we at the place where if we had congestion pricing tomorrow it would work? I don't know, but can we get there in seven to 10 years? Yes. I absolutely believe so," Johnson said.
The Boston City Council did host a hearing on congestion pricing this past summer. At a recent event. Healey remained noncommittal in her stance.
But in a growing city, it's accelerating a conversation on putting a price on getting around.
