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Tolls, Not Taxes: How Americans Want to Fix Traffic Jams

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

"Communist China has way more cases where the private sector is involved in building roads than the United States does," says Reason Foundation transportation economist Adrian Moore.

Moore sat down with Reason to discuss transportation policy in general and the results of the January Reason-Rupe poll in specific. The Reason-Rupe poll is a quarterly national survey of Americans and the latest iteration focused on transportation issues.

Among the main results:

-Nearly 50 percent of respondents say that for them congestion has worsened over the last five years, and over 50 percent think it will get even worse in the next five years.
-Only 12 percent use transit with any regularity and the number who telecommute is about the same
as those who carpool.
-65 percent think the government generally spends transportation funding ineffectively.
-77 percent oppose raising the federal gas tax.
-58 percent think new lanes or new highways should be funded with tolls rather than tax increases, and 59 percent say they would pay a toll if it would save them a significant amount of time.

The full results, along with an explanation of methodology and analysis by poll director Emily Ekins, is online here.

About 10 minute; filmed by Zach Weissmueller and Sharif Matar, and edited by Matar.

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Adrian Moore Talks Toll Roads on NBC-LA's California Nonstop

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST

Vice President of Research at the Reason Foundation Adrian Moore discusses the benefits of toll roads in Southern California. Air date: December 6, 2011 on NBC-LA's California Nonstop.

Approximately 7:30 minutes.

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By the Gallon Or By the Mile? - Adrian Moore and Johanna Zmud Discuss Transportation Infrastructure

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 EDT

By the Gallon Or By the Mile?

On August 10, 2011, Reason Vice President Adrian Moore and Rand Corporation Transportation, Space, and Technology Program Director Johanna Zmud talk about the pros and cons and tricky issues of replacing fuel taxes with per mile road pricing as the main way to fund transportation infrastructure.

The event was held at Reason's DC office by the Transportation Research Forum, Young Professionals in Transportation, and Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS).

Approximately 43 minutes. Filmed and edited by Joshua Swain.

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Adrian Moore Discusses Toll Roads and Privately-Built Highways on Stossel

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Vice President of Research of Reason Adrian Moore appeared on Stossel to discuss how toll roads alleviate traffic better than public transportation and lessons America can learn from France and China. Air date: August 4, 2011.

Approximately 7 minutes.

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Busting Congestion in Chicago (or Any other City)

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 07:00:00 EDT

America's Second City is now first in traffic congestion.

Recently, the Texas Transportation Institute named Chicago the nation's most congested city, booting perennial congestion king Los Angeles from the dreaded top slot.

And if you think gridlock is bad now, just wait. Turns out Chicago's official 25-year transportation plan will spend billions, but traffic congestion will get even worse.

Everyone knows that gridlock leads to wasted time and increased stress, but the effects of degraded mobility are worse than most people realize. Traffic congestion deprives job-seekers of opportunities, robs businesses of customers, and hastens the exodus of residents from the central city to the suburbs.

And although mounting gridlock may seem like the unavoidable result of increased population and strained budgets, the experience of nations from France to Australia proves otherwise. Reason Foundation draws on what's worked worldwide and recommends a three-part plan:

1. Expand roads with underground tunnels and elevated structures.
2. Use pricing to keep traffic flowing.
3. Pay for new projects with private-sector financing instead of taxes.

That plan can help Chicago or any other city bust congestion and boost economic growth.

Approximately 4.30 minutes

Written and produced by Ted Balaker. Field producer: Paul Detrick, Camera: Jim Epstein and Alex Manning.

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Tim Cavanaugh Talks Carmageddon on LA's KTLA Morning News

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:12:00 EDT

Reason columnist and Hit & Run contributor Tim Cavanaugh appeared on Los Angeles' KTLA to discuss media and politician hype surrounding Carmageddon. Air Date: July 16, 2011.

Approximately 3:35 minutes.

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Carmageddon or Lameageddon? Billion Dollar Project Isn't Apocalyptic After All

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Did you hear about Carmageddon? It turns out the apocalyptic shutdown of the nation's busiest freeway, the 405, wasn't apocalyptic at all.

Media hyped the billion dollar construction project for weeks, claiming it could "back up traffic as much as 64 miles," and politicians blunted told constituents, "Stay the hell away from the 405." But none of the predictions about a Carmageddon came true.

Instead we found politicians ready to sing the praises of the newly added carpool lane and teardown of the Mulholland Bridge (Including an exclusive interview with Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa). We also found Angelenos skeptical that the project would actually alleviate traffic.

Written and Produced by Paul Detrick.

About 3:30 minutes.

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Mike Riggs Joins Alyone's Happy Hour to Discuss Cars 2, a Southwest Pilot, and John Galliano's Rants

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Associate Editor of Reason Magazine Mike Riggs appeared on Russia Today's The Alyona Show to discuss whether Cars 2 is against big oil compaines, a Southwest pilot's sexist rant about Houston's airport, France's problem with John Galliano's free speech and how Facebook helped end a hostage situation. Air Date: June 24, 2011.

Approximately 8 minutes.

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Shikha Dalmia Discusses The Aftermath of the General Motors Bailout with the Subcommitte on Regulatory Affairs

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:00:00 EDT

Reason Foundation's senior policy analyst Shikha Dalmia testifies at the "Lasting Implications of the General Motors Bailout," held by the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending. The hearing examined the aftermath of U.S. taxpayers' bailout of General Motors and sought to learn lessons about the lasting implications and unintended consequences of the federal government's intervention into business operations.

Hear Shikha Dalmia at the 20.45 minute mark.

Air Date: June 22, 2011.

Approximately 38.06 minutes

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Bob Poole and Adrian Moore: Why Highways Beat High-Speed Rail

Fri, 13 May 2011 15:00:00 EDT

What are the best ways to get America moving in terms of transportation?

At Reason Weekend 2011, Reason Foundation's annual donor event, Adrian Moore and Robert Poole spoke about the right ways to create a 21st-century transportation policy. Moore takes heavily documented aim at high-speel rail projects as tax-funded boondoggles that will certainly fail to hit ridership goals. Poole argues that pie-in-the-sky projects such as high-speed rail divert limited federal funds from much-needed infrastructure improvement and fail to tap into private capital funds that could help expand the nation's transportation network.

About 45 minutes. Filmed by Alex Manning and Paul Detrick; edited by Joshua Swain.

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Don't Ban DUI Checkpoint Apps!

Wed, 11 May 2011 10:00:00 EDT

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wants to control your smartphone.

Yesterday, Schumer went after Google, Apple, and other smartphone-industry players who have refused to follow a "voluntary" request by him and Sens. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) that they ban apps that show where police are setting up driving under the influence (DUI) checkpoints, speed traps, and the like.

State officials are applying similar pressure (and are also claiming that all requests for compliance are "voluntary"). Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, the son of Vice President Joe Biden, is pushing for bans and so is Maryland's Attorney General Doug Gansler, who likened the apps to "giving a robber the key and the alarm pad code to go rob a bank."

As a direct result of the pressure, Research in Motion, maker of Blackberry products, blocked the apps.

But are apps that give citizens more information about what law enforcement is up to a bad thing? They clearly fall under First Amendment guarantees of free expression (that's why lawmakers are saying their requests are "voluntary"). But perhaps more important, such apps actually minimize drunk driving and speeding - which is one of the reasons why police in places such as Travis County, Texas, are the ones entering the information for DUI checkpoint apps such as Trapster. As a Travis County cop puts it, if he can stop the problematic behavior without writing tickets or hauling people in, everybody is better off.

That's an irony that's lost on bullying pols such as Schumer, Biden, and others. But it's one of the reasons why the audience for such apps continues to grow.

Approximately 3.27 minutes. Featuring Cato Institute policy analyst Julian Sanchez and President of the Association for Competitive Technology Jonathan Zuck.

Produced by Joshua Swain with Nick Gillespie, who also narrates. Filmed by Swain and Jim Epstein.

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Three Steps To Get Our Highways Moving Again

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:00:00 EDT

When rush hour traffic routinely turns a twenty minute commute into an hour and a half nightmare, we know we have a transportation problem. But how can we fix it? What can we do to get our cars -- and economy -- moving again?

Samuel Staley, Director of Urban Growth and Land Use Policy at Reason Foundation, has outlined three quick steps to improving mobility: (1) increase capacity, (2) support market oriented thinking and (3) employ comprehensive pricing.

Approximately 2 minutes.

Produced by Josh Swain, Jim Epstein and Meredith Bragg.

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Richard Riordan on Unions, Dysfunctional LA, and Golfing with the (Ex) Governator (Extended Interview)

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST

"They put incompetent adults ahead of children," Richard Riordan says of teachers unions who stand in the way of school reform.

The former mayor of Los Angeles took office shortly after the 1992 riots and shortly before the massive 1994 Northridge earthquake. Today, notes Riordan, the City of Angels faces a slate of different crises, from failing public schools to a fiscal calamity that has put the city on the brink of bankruptcy.

In this wide-ranging extended version of an interview that aired in January (and was shot in December), Riordan sits down with Reason.tv's Tim Cavanaugh to discuss public-sector unions, privatization, LA's dysfunctional government, why businesses are leaving the city, and why Arnold Schwarzenegger won't golf with him.

Approximately 40 minutes.

Shot by Zach Weissmueller, Paul Detrick, and Alex Manning. Edited by Detrick.

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Taking Politics Out of Transportation: Economist Bruce Benson on Private Roads

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST

Americans are accustomed to government provided roads, but "a private road system is going to get you from here to there more efficiently, and with less congestion," says Bruce Benson, a professor of economics at Florida State University.

Reason.tv sat down with Benson during the Libertopia festival in Hollywood, California to discuss the limitless possibilities of private road construction.

Drawing on his research on private alternatives to pubic provision of services such as road construction and law enforcement, Benson points to America's long history of roads that were privately built by communities that wanted to connect into a system of trade. Benson predicts a return of privately built roads as our congested public infrastructure continues to degrade.

Approximately 6.5 minutes.

Interviewed by Zach Weissmueller. Camera and Editing by Hawk Jensen; animation by Austin Bragg.

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Adrian Moore Discusses GM's IPO and the Proposed Federal Sales Tax

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 00:00:00 EST

The Reason Foundation's Adrian Moore appeared on Freedom Watch to discuss the fallout from the General Motors bailout and a propoposed 6.5% value-added tax aimed at deficit reduction. Air date: November 17, 2010.

About 11 minutes.

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The Ins and Outs of Hoarding Ferraris: Q&A with Daniel Ben-Ami

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Who the hell's against economic progress?

Author Daniel Ben-Ami tackles that question in his new book, Ferraris For All, which looks at how concerns over inequality, the environment, and excessive greed slow economic growth and hurt the poor. A regular contributor to the British online magazine Spiked, Ben-Ami believes these rationales are partially a cover for the real agenda of the super rich: keeping all the wealth (and Ferraris) for themselves.

Reason.tv's Nick Gillespie sat down with Ben-Ami to talk about the repercussions and ulterior motives of growth skepticism.

Approximately six minutes. Shot by Dan Hayes and Meredith Bragg. Edited by Josh Swain.

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Reason Weekend 2010: Robert Poole and Adrian Moore on High-Speed Rail Boondoggles

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EDT

Politicians love to promote large-scale transit projects, and the Obama administration is no exception.

The president's "Livability Initiative" strives to ensure that "transportation goals are met while simultaneously protecting the environment, promoting equitable development, and helping to address the challenges of climate change." But as Robert Poole, director of transportation policy at Reason Foundation, and Adrian Moore, vice president of research at Reason Foundation, explain, the "Livability Agenda" largely consists of trying to push people out of their cars and onto trains and out of the suburbs and into cities.

Poole and Moore dismantle the idea that a centralized, national transit system will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a more "livable" future. There is, they demonstrate, no way such a system will ever be economically viable or able to actually meets its ridership goals.

Approximately 45 minutes.

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This presentation was part of Reason Weekend, an annual conference held by Reason Foundation, the nonprofit that publishes Reason.tv. This year's event took place in New Orleans from April 15-18 in New Orleans.

How The Hell Did GM Pay Back Its Bailout "in Full And Ahead of Schedule"? Well, It Didn't...

Mon, 03 May 2010 07:00:00 EDT

General Motors CEO Ed Whitacre has bragged in TV commercials and newspaper columns that GM has paid back its bailout "in full and ahead of schedule."

As with the Pontiac Aztek, an ugly exterior masks an ever darker problem: Whitacre is being fanciful to the point of deceit. GM received $50 billion in TARP funds (never mind that TARP was only supposed to cover financial institutions). About $7 billion of that came in the form of a straight-up, low-interest loan. And about $13 billion came in the form of an escrow account.

So how has GM, which lost $38 billion in 2007 even as it sold 9.4 million cars, paid back its debt? It took money from the escrow account to pay back the $6.7 billion loan.

Do you remember when you were a kid and your parents gave you $20 to buy them a Christmas present? You bought them something worth $3 and pocketed the rest? That's what GM has just done.

Oh, and do you remember when you hit your parents up for college? GM has applied for a $10 billion, low-interest loan from the government to modernize its plants so its cars will meet new federal mileage standards.

If you think all this constitutes paying back their debt in full and ahead of schedule, you might want to check out the new line of GM cars. And hope that the company's safety engineers are better at math than their CEO.

Who's gonna pay?

ted.balaker@reason.tv (Ted Balaker) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:40:00 EST

(click "watch video" icon)

Sometimes it seems like SoCal’s about ready to stop moving all together. According to recent surveys, traffic congestion is residents’ top gripe in San Diego and Los Angeles.

In San Diego, the South Bay Expressway is set to open soon. A hard-hatted local news reporter braved the construction zone to explain that officials addressed part of the “Who’s gonna pay?” question by allowing the private sector to build the toll road. Now it’s up to motorists to decide if they’re gonna pay the toll.

Up the road in Orange County, KPCC (local NPR) highlighted another approach—Transit Oriented Development—which traditionally breaks ground with the help of hefty public subsidies.

I was interviewed for part 1 , which aired yesterday. In part 2 we hear from artists and yoga instructors who want a touch of Manhattan in OC. They like their new high-density digs and their hip neighbors (no minivaners in this group). But do they drive less?

Bradley: Unfortunately, we don't drive less. And you know, there's actually a train stop fairly close to my office.

Valot: In fact, a five-minute walk from his office. But Chris Bradley says the train's too expensive for just a couple of stops.

[Sound of Bradley saying good-bye to his friends]

Valot: Bradley's neighbors don't take the train either – other than an occasional trip to an art gallery in L.A. or dinner in San Clemente.

Any different in LA?

And can't forget to pimp my book (co-authored with Sam Staley), which explores these issues in more detail.

RELATED: Drew Carey Project video, Gridlock: Hell on Wheels

Robert Poole on Funding New Roads

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:43:00 EDT

Reason Foundation Founder Robert Poole, who has advised the last four presidential administrations, discusses ways to pay for the nation's massive infrastructure needs.