TRB Webinar: Equity of Evolving Transportation Finance Mechanisms

TRB conducted a web briefing or "webinar" on October 20, 2011 that addressed the findings of TRB Special Report 303: Equity of Evolving Transportation Finance Mechanisms.

As traditional sources of funding for the nation’s surface transportation system fail to keep pace with demand, proposals for new sources have proliferated. New funding strategies, such as pricing for road use, and new institutional arrangements, such as public-private partnerships, have emerged over the past few years. As with all transportation policies, these strategies raise questions about equity.

To address these concerns, the Transportation Research Board convened an expert committee to provide guidance to public officials about assessing the equity of evolving transportation finance mechanisms. The committee that developed the report concluded that broad generalizations about the fairness of high-occupancy toll lanes, cordon tolls, and other evolving mechanisms oversimplify the reality and are misleading. The fairness of a given type of finance mechanism depends on how it is structured, what transportation alternatives are offered to users, and which aspects of equity are deemed most important. The committee recommends that public policy makers ask a broad range of questions about equity impacts when considering evolving mechanisms, and involve the public in decision making. The committee also recommends that researchers investigate further how people modify their use of the transportation system in response to changes in prices and services and the consequences of these responses.

Learning Objectives for this webinar:

• Recognize the extent and limitations of current knowledge about the equity implications of evolving transportation finance mechanisms.

• Given a proposal to implement a new transportation finance strategy in a particular location/ jurisdiction:
  • Recognize the various equity concerns (geographic, income, generational, etc.) that may arise;
  • Identify factors to consider in assessing the likely impacts of the new finance strategy; and,
  • Recognize the value of engaging the public in discussion about the new strategy and its equity implications.

Presentation by:

• Joseph Schofer, Northwestern University
• Jeffrey N. Buxbaum, Cambridge Systematics

Moderated by Jill Wilson, Transportation Research Board

A webinar recording is available.  There is no fee for employees of TRB sponsors to obtain a copy of the recording. In addition to employees of TRB sponsor organizations, the following are eligible to receive complimentary webinar recording:

•    TRB and National Academies employees;
•    Chairs of TRB Standing Committees, Sections, or Groups;
•    Members of the media; and
•    Congressional staff members.

Others must pay $89 to obtain the recorded webinar. Contact Reggie Gillum at RGillum@nas.edu to receive the recording.