Congestion pricing. The idea makes total sense. Why allocate road space the way the Soviet Union allocated everything? It makes total sense to charge for the privilege of taking up space on the road, and it makes even more sense to charge more when more people want to take up that precious space.
Which is why Florida is building the I-95 Express. I-95 in Miami-Dade and southern Broward is currently five lanes: four regular, and one HOV lane, which can only be occupied by cars with more than two people in them during peak hours. The Express plan expands the freeway to six lanes, for "local," just like now, and two "express." The express lanes are separated from the regular lanes by these little rubber tubes, with entrances and exits from the local lanes several miles apart. In a few months, the Express lanes will be electronically tolled, using the Sunpass system.
So this week they open this thing in Miami-Dade. No charging, yet, it's a "test period," to get drivers used to the new set-up. And why a "test period"? Because, well:
Mayhem on I-95 as new lanes open
I-95 toll lanes cause chaos, crashes
New Express lanes on I-95 Causing Chaos For South Florida Drivers
Northbound I-95 Bedlam
Miami drivers, you see, are a little, well, self-centered. And not very good.
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