Decongestion Fee System
One of the most innovative and effective solutions for alleviating traffic is the option to pay for gridlock-free roadways within a designated area, at certain times of the day when congestion is at its worst. In some of the most congested cities in the world, including London, Stockholm, and Milan, adding a decongestion fee system during peak hours has dramatically increased mobility, as well as improved public health and reduced traffic collisions. Fees collected are reinvested in transit options and safer streets.
Read about decongestion fee systems being proposed and implemented around the world:
Apr 25, 2018 - Seattle Asks: Can Congestion Pricing Be Equitable?, Next City
Apr 25, 2018 - Cars Are Ruining Our Cities, The New York Times
Apr 21, 2018 - Hate Traffic? Learn to Love Congestion Pricing., Reason
Apr 13, 2018 - Ideal of Congestion Pricing Faces Real-Life Roadblocks in Seattle, The Seattle Times
Apr 11, 2018 - London’s Congestion Charge Is Showing Its Age, CityLab
Apr 09, 2018 - Congestion Pricing Plan for Manhattan Ran Into Politics. Politics Won., The New York Times
Apr 05, 2018 - Is Seattle Ready to Consider Widespread Tolling to Ease Traffic Congestion?, The Seattle Times
Mar 31, 2018 - Congestion Pricing Falters in New York, Again, The New York Times
Mar 23, 2018 - You Want Congestion Pricing? Be Specific., CityLab
Mar 22, 2018 - Congestion Pricing Benefits Everyone, TransitCenter
Mar 21, 2018 - Is Your E-ZPass the Key to Congestion Pricing?, The New York Times
Mar 13, 2018 - Congestion Pricing Can Improve Traffic, Fund Transit, Save Lives, StreetsBlog SF
Mar 13, 2018 - State Bill to Create Pilot Programs for Congestion Pricing in CA Could Mean ‘Go Zones’ are Coming to a City Near You, KPCC
Mar 11, 2018 - Congestion Pricing Revival: State Bill Would Allow SF to Charge Cars for Downtown Entry, San Francisco Examiner
Mar 07, 2018 - A New Report Shows Highway Widening Won’t Solve Portland’s Congestion Woes, The Portland Mercury
Mar 02, 2018 - London Congestion Charge: Why It’s Time to Reconsider One of the City’s Great Successes, The Conversation
Mar 01, 2018 - A Chance to Transform Urban Planning, The Economist
Feb 26, 2018 - 3 Far-Flung Cities Offer Clues to Unsnarling Manhattan’s Streets, The New York Times
Feb 13, 2018 - Could Paying People Not to Drive Help Reduce Congestion?, The Source
Feb 07, 2018 - Are Traffic-Clogged US Cities Ready for Congestion Pricing?, The Conversation
Jan 22, 2018 - How to Ease Traffic Congestion, CommonWeatlh
Jan 19, 2018 - Could Congestion Pricing Finally Work for New York City?, CityLab
Jan 09, 2018 - New, Higher Tolls for 2018, Stateline
Jan 03, 2018 - Road Pricing for All Vehicles, Not Just Ride-Hailed Ones, City Observatory
California State Budget Reduces Barriers to Housing Production and Extends Deadline for Regional Early Action Planning (REAP 2.0) Program
Earlier this week, the governor signed the 2025-2026 state budget, which includes a suite of reforms to reduce barriers to housing production.
Connect SoCal 2024 Implementation Update: Sustainable Communities Strategy Accepted
On May 7, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) informed SCAG that it had accepted SCAG’s determination that the Connect SoCal 2024 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) meets CARB’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets.
General Assembly Elects 2025-26 Board Officers
The General Assembly voted to approve the nominations for the SCAG 2025-26 Regional Council officers as recommended by the Regional Council: Hon. Cindy Allen (City of Long Beach) will serve as 2025-26 Regional Council president; Hon. Ray Marquez (City of Chino Hills) will serve as Regional Council first vice president; and Hon. Jenny Crosswhite (City of Santa Paula) will serve as Regional Council second vice president. Leadership also recognized Hon.
Surface Transportation Block Grant and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program Call for Project Nominations Now Open
The federal fiscal year 2026-27 and federal fiscal year 2027-28 Surface Transportation Block Grant program (STBG) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program (CMAQ) SCAG online application opened for all eligible applicants on March 31. This application will be available through May 16 at 5 p.m.
Surface Transportation Block Grant and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program Guidelines Now Available
On March 6, the SCAG Regional Council approved the federal fiscal year 2026-27 and federal fiscal year 2027-28 Surface Transportation Block Grant program (STBG) and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program (CMAQ) Program Guidelines.