Say you worked in downtown Spokane but the City started charging about $5 per day just to get into the downtown area? What would you do? Start riding your bike? Walk? Ride the bus? Drive to a parking lot just outside of downtown then walk or ride the bus the rest of the way?
That’s what’s happening in Milan, Italy where officials are experimenting with ‘congestion charging.’ From 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. every weekday, you are required to pay about $7.50 just to get your car into the central city zone. And that doesn’t include parking fees.
During the first week the new charges were implemented incoming traffic was reduced by 37% compared to the previous week, reducing harmful emissions and traffic congestion.
Here’s what the money collected will go to, and other cities that are doing congestion charging.