Blogger Taro in Japan highlights downside of politicians' deep discount on toll rates

Taro, a blogger from Tokyo highlights the unintended consequences of political pandering on toll rates. Taro normally pays about Y12,000 ($120) in tolls to get his favorite weekend/holiday destination on the island of Shikoko and the 800km (500 miles) is normally about an 11 hour drive.

Last week with government 'stimulus' money being pumped into the toll companies to implement the prime minister's promised maximum weekend/holidays toll of Y1,000 ($10) regardless of distance traveled many motorists thought nirvana was at hand. Too many.

Taro was among the many last weekend, and he says he faced a "hellacious" 40 hour drive. There were hours and hours of totally stopped traffic. 

Real gridlock.

We sense there's a backlash abrewing. Could it be, to use a Japanese word, a political tsunami?

THE LESSON: when your roads are sized to traffic generated by a certain set of toll rates, if you make drastic changes to those rates, you are likely to get drastic changes in traffic volumes. And drastic changes in traffic volume are likely to produce drastic changes in congestion, and travel times.

Boston beware, with all the talk there of ending tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike.

At 6 lanes and tolls, it flows. Abolish tolls and you'll get traffic that needs, say, 10 lanes to flow.

And there'll be no money to build the extra lanes.

Politicians, before you commit to meddling with toll rates, at the least consult traffic & revenue people and get some informed opinion on what lowering tolls will bring.

TOLLROADSnews 2009-03-30