Costs & Benefits
What incentives do individuals, businesses, and the government have to act on each possible solution?
Solution 1:
- Makes bicycling, walking, and transit more safe & accessible for individuals
- Reduced traffic congestion
- Improved health for individuals ( more physical activity & less air pollution)
- Reduced taxes for individuals
- Reduced noise pollution for individuals & businesses
- Businesses don't require as much parking
- Gov't can spend less money on continuously widening roads
- When planned along with road resurfacing, road diets don't cost much money
- Decreased commute distance for individuals
- Decreased traffic congestion
- Reduced taxes for individuals
- Businesses don't require as much parking
- Less road maintenance required by gov't
- Improved health for individuals
- Individuals will spend less money if they switch to alternative transportation
- Reduced noise pollution for individuals & businesses
- Shrinking roads to reduce congestion seems illogical to most people (until they are informed on the subject)
- Some might think regulations impose on their rights
- Some might argue that increasing taxes puts a strain on low-income people
- Car dealerships will see a decrease in demand due to higher taxes & promotion of other transportation
Why would some people oppose the solutions?
Solution 1:
What are the externalities, both positive, and negative, that could result from each possible solution?
Solution 1:
- (+) Less air & noise pollution
- (-) Requires some construction
- (+) Less air & noise pollution
- (-) Requires some construction
- (+) Increased awareness and education of environmentally safe transportation
- (-) Complaints about higher taxes & prices from individuals & businesses