By DAILY PRESS STAFF
DOWNTOWN LA Elected officials in Los Angeles are considering whether or not to make drivers pay a fee to drive into LAX.
Westside City Councilman Bill Rosendahl introduced a motion Friday calling for a feasibility study to see what the possibility is of introducing a “congestion pricing system” for LAX.
The plan would require motorists to pay a fee to enter into the area surrounding the region’s busiest airport, charging a higher rate for vehicles registered outside of Los Angeles County. As an alternative to driving, an automated people mover would provide quick and efficient transportation into the airport, free of charge.
The motion, which was seconded by Councilmember Wendy Greuel, calls for city staff to review these models to see if the system would provide results similar to those seen in London, Singapore and Stockholm, which have implemented congestion pricing plans that successfully reduced traffic and simultaneously financed improvements infrastructure.
Motorists driving into central London on weekdays are required to pay 8 pounds, or $16. In Stockholm, drivers must pay anywhere between $1.49 to $2.98, depending on the time of day.
“Our traffic requires us to think out of the box,” Rosendahl said. “I will leave no stone unturned in trying to find ways to free our streets, especially Westside streets, of traffic gridlock.”
Rosendahl believes the plan would regionalize aviation, drawing traffic away from LAX to other airports. He also said it would complement several proposed transportation projects such as the Green Line extension.
The motion specifically directs the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to form a working group with the chief legislative analyst, the chief administrative officer, Rosendahl’s office and Los Angeles World Airports to conduct the study.
Currently, more than 25.6 million cars enter LAX each year, contributing to gridlock in the surrounding streets and neighborhoods, delayed access to the airport, and decreased customer satisfaction, representatives from Rosendahl’s office said.
The problem is expected to worsen as LAX reaches its annual passenger cap of 78.9 million.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 18, 2007. Read the original PDF.