I suspect this is a managed situation. Over the past decade in NYC, more streets have been shut down and congestion has increased. Some politicians have brazenly admitted that this is by design....that they want more people riding bicycles and taking public transportation. Meanwhile, tolls rise and hassles increase because, well, people are willing to put up with it. I suspect a privatized roadway would work much better.
These streets have been shut down to non-HOV traffic since the 80s. The tolls give single drivers a legal way to use them during rush hour that previously didn’t exist. The only legitimate complaints here are from people legitimately heading to the airport, or from people caught by the half hour extension made either side of the rush hour schedule.
A number of American cities, including New York and DC, have reached the point at which we simply can't shoehorn more cars into the central business district. Some people will always drive. That's fine. But if we really want to reduce congestion, we have to build alternatives for the folks who are willing to get out of their cars.
Btw, folks should also recognize that for many of us, driving vs. mass transit vs. walking or biking is a stage of life question. I've probably spent more years biking to work than anything else, but there was a multi-year stretch when I drove, and another when I rode metrorail. This had to do with the age of my kids, and my obligations as a chauffeur. I've been in the same house all along; in terms of where I've worked, I've always had intermodal options. I'm fortunate to live in a neighborhood where that is possible. In terms of time for a short commute (with one exception, under two miles in my case), biking is usually fastest, especially in rush hour.
On Capitol Hill, a majority of residents do not take a car to work. If you poke around DC and around the country, you will find an increasing number of neighborhoods where this is becoming common. City life really is much more pleasant if you are not hassling with parking and traffic congestion for several hours each day. The question is whether we will design and build more neighborhoods where this is a practical option.
DC planning seems to be over the hump on this issue. We have an increasing number of redeveloped neighborhoods that are very attractive for people without cars. I would suggest to the suburban folks who haven't done it yet that they come on down to the rebuilt southwest waterfront, which is being rebranded as "The Wharf District." It's still got a lot of construction going on, but enough is open that you can see what is in progress. (It's going to be a spectacular place to live and/or work.) There is ample parking underground off Maine Avenue. Get out and walk along the waterfront. Go to dinner; that would be your excuse for making the trip. And then ask yourself, if you were young and buying your first condo, would you rather live there and rely on Uber and Metro, or would you prefer Haymarket or Urbana, and spend four or five hours a day in your car?
There's no reason that we can't build neighborhoods like this all over the place, including the emerging edge cities. Think of the Ballston Clarendon corridor. Think of downtown Bethesda. Think of H Street N.E. or U Street. On a smaller scale, this is happening in a lot of places. This is how to reduce congestion for those who are still doing a long commute: drain the swamp ahead of them.
They’ve already done this in the Dee Cee area. It’s called the “greenway”. (look it up).
This “privatized roadway” also fleeces the public. NOT a solution!
agreed - we should fully privatize interstates and let private enterprise do its magic.