Every major city in America shares at least one common problem: traffic congestion. Year after year, while waiting in city traffic, billions of gallons of gasoline are wasted and endless hours of personal leisure time is lost. Atlanta is no exception to this problem. The roadways in Atlanta are not equipped to handle the demand for road space properly. Recent government ideas to alleviate traffic woes planned to build new roadways and add lanes to existing highways. Though road additions are viable methods of easing traffic congestion, it would only meet demands for a few years or so. Atlanta is in need of long-term solutions to solve its traffic ordeals. There are many alternative systems, but introducing tolls and providing extended area mass transit for free or at a minimal cost would have the most far-reaching effects (Foldvary 1999).
Primarily, tolls, along with road pricing, would decrease road traffic during rush hour and other times when roadways are crowded. Road pricing is a strategic method of controlling traffic by increasing and decreasing toll amounts in order to keep traffic flowing smoothly. In anticipation of congestion, the price of the tolls would raise accordingly so that the number of cars is kept at a minimum and as congestion clears the price would decrease. This is optimal because, while controlling the individual vehicle traffic, it boosts commuter use of public transportation. Road pricing tolls would also be easy to put into practice since our technology is so advanced and is available at an equitable price (Arnott 1994; MTS).
Following road pricing, the extension of public mass transit systems, and offering them at a low cost or even free to commuters, would greatly reduce traffic congestion. Currently, our roadways are free to commuters. If road pricing is being implemented, public transport should then become the free form of transportation. The public transportation service should also be upgraded in order to provide for an expanded number of users.