nymtc regional freight plan - New York Metropolitan Transportation ...

A Freight Plan for the NYMTC Region
both of which use highway bridge and tunnel tolls to cross-subsidize public transportation
and other activities. Tolls can also serve an important function in facility traffic
management. Many innovations in toll policies have occurred in the region during the
past decade including variable pricing by time of day, vehicle class, and use of
E-ZPass transponders. These policies have resulted, for example, in shifting some
truck traffic out of the peak periods. The creative adaptation of toll policy continues to
hold promise as a major source of funding for all types of transportation investment in
the region. A regional study should be initiated to consider a wide menu of tolling
and financing options.
The region already is unique in its reliance on vehicular toll revenues, not only to
financing crossings and major highways, but to provide cross-subsidy to transit and
other transportation facilities that balance demand and maintain mobility on the
regional transportation network. Toll authorities in most instances rely on this source
as the primary means of operating and maintaining the tolled facilities. Pooling of toll
revenues with other resources provides a major source of support for existing
PANYNJ and MTA capital programs. Additional use of this mechanism is a potential
means to broaden the resources available for highway, rail, and other transportation
improvements that would benefit regional goods movement. Toll structure refinements
for different facilities and vehicle classes may also support other network management
programs. Priorities for allocating this limited capital resource, and issues of
equity among users and affected communities, would present a challenge in attempting
to increase the region’s reliance on toll financing for transportation improvements.
• Rail User Fees – Shippers using rail or the railroads themselves could be assessed a
surcharge (which they may or may not chose to pass on to customers). The advantage
of this approach is that the beneficiaries of the investments would help to pay for
them. The disadvantages are that the railroads are relatively under capitalized corporations
and are reluctant to pay for major infrastructure improvements; the use of privately
operated facilities by competing carriers would need to be addressed; and
increasing the cost of rail shipment would discourage the very effect it is trying to
achieve – increasing rail mode share.
• Private Development of Facilities – The greatest potential for private contributions
probably lies in the development of yards and terminals that could be operated essentially
as “shared asset facilities” for the benefit of all users, much on the model of the
remaining Conrail facilities in the region. Anchor tenants (large shippers/receivers)
who would be prime beneficiaries of a specific yard development could be contributors.
Railroads or intermodal marketing companies also could be financial participants.
• Special Purpose Needs – A variety of special purpose shippers in the region might
benefit from enhanced freight transportation and could be potential contributors. One
is the NYC Department of Sanitation (NYCDOS), which faces tremendous costs in
shipping municipal solid waste out of the region.
Cambridge Systematics, Inc. 7-7