PEAK PERIOD TOLLS - PRECEPTS AND PROSPECTS

This article presents the economic rationale for road pricing and prov ides some scale on the magnitude of peak period tolls that might be ju stified. It discusses the impacts of such tolls on congestion, air qua lity and economic development and suggests a long term strategy toward s areawide implementation of peak period pricing. It discusses current trends which are increasing the likelihood for implementation of cong estion pricing and toll roads in the future. In particular, it discuss es some aspects of the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficien cy Act (ISTEA) which will eliminate some of the current restraints on congestion pricing and toll highways.