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High levels of automobile traffic in big cities are incredibly costly to society

High levels of automobile traffic in big cities are incredibly costly to society

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http://homework.plus/high-<strong>levels</strong>-<strong>of</strong>-<strong>au<strong>to</strong>mobile</strong>-<strong>traffic</strong>-<strong>in</strong><strong>big</strong>-<strong>cities</strong>-<strong>are</strong>-<strong>in</strong>credibly-<strong>costly</strong>-<strong>to</strong>-<strong>society</strong>/<br />

Externalities II (33 po<strong>in</strong>ts) [Warn<strong>in</strong>g, this problem is an enhanced version <strong>of</strong> a negative<br />

externality problem. While I break it down <strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong> a series <strong>of</strong> short steps, it still may take a<br />

long time <strong>to</strong> figure out. Budget accord<strong>in</strong>gly. Don’t skimp on your graph. Your picture will<br />

hopefully help you understand what is go<strong>in</strong>g on.]<br />

<strong>High</strong> <strong>levels</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>au<strong>to</strong>mobile</strong> <strong>traffic</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>big</strong> <strong>cities</strong> <strong>are</strong> <strong>in</strong>credibly <strong>costly</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>society</strong>. Time spent<br />

idl<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a car is time that could probably have been spent on more fruitful activities.<br />

Multiply these costs by tens/hundreds <strong>of</strong> thousands <strong>of</strong> drivers per day and you’ve got<br />

huge numbers. Drivers likely take <strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong> account the cost <strong>of</strong> sitt<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>traffic</strong> when they<br />

decide <strong>to</strong> drive. But they do not likely take <strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong> account the fact that by driv<strong>in</strong>g they <strong>are</strong><br />

add<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> the <strong>traffic</strong> congestion and slow<strong>in</strong>g others down. That is, driv<strong>in</strong>g produces an<br />

external cost on <strong>society</strong>, <strong>in</strong> the form <strong>of</strong> higher <strong>traffic</strong>.<br />

The idea <strong>of</strong> “congestion pric<strong>in</strong>g” is <strong>to</strong> charge drivers when they <strong>are</strong> contribut<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> the<br />

<strong>traffic</strong> externalities, so as <strong>to</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternalize the external cost <strong>of</strong> driv<strong>in</strong>g. With modern<br />

technology, hav<strong>in</strong>g a device <strong>in</strong> your car that tracks your driv<strong>in</strong>g and charges you the<br />

applicable amounts is becom<strong>in</strong>g more and more feasible, and has been implemented <strong>in</strong> a<br />

few urban <strong>are</strong>as around the world. This problem attempts <strong>to</strong> walk you through a way <strong>of</strong><br />

model<strong>in</strong>g congestion pric<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> an effort <strong>to</strong> raise social wellbe<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

Dur<strong>in</strong>g times <strong>of</strong> low <strong>traffic</strong>, there may not be much, or any, external cost. So we should try<br />

<strong>to</strong> <strong>in</strong>corporate that feature <strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong> our plan <strong>to</strong> charge drivers. This <strong>in</strong>troduces a non-l<strong>in</strong>ear<br />

feature <strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong> the model, which complicates th<strong>in</strong>gs.


The “speed curve” gives the speed <strong>of</strong> <strong>traffic</strong> (S) as a function <strong>of</strong> the number <strong>of</strong> drivers (N)<br />

at a time.<br />

On certa<strong>in</strong> stretch <strong>of</strong> highway, let miles per hour when N


The benefits <strong>of</strong> driv<strong>in</strong>g changes based on the time <strong>of</strong> day. Dur<strong>in</strong>g Peak (P) times <strong>of</strong> day<br />

(morn<strong>in</strong>g or afternoon rush hour) the marg<strong>in</strong>al social benefit is higher than at Off-Peak<br />

times (O).<br />

Let MSB​ P​ =.75-(1/6000)N. Let MSB​ O​ = .5-(1/1000)N. I’ve selected these numbers so that the<br />

results work out reasonably cleanly.<br />

Calculate the socially optimal level <strong>of</strong> <strong>traffic</strong> (N*) dur<strong>in</strong>g P and O times <strong>of</strong> day. What is the<br />

value <strong>of</strong> the MSB at the optimal level dur<strong>in</strong>g these times?<br />

Hopefully you recognized <strong>in</strong> the last part that dur<strong>in</strong>g time O the socially optimal level and<br />

the market level will be the same. Dur<strong>in</strong>g time P, what will the market level <strong>of</strong> <strong>traffic</strong> be<br />

(N​ M​ )? What is the MSB at this level <strong>of</strong> <strong>traffic</strong> dur<strong>in</strong>g time P?<br />

What is the difference between the market level <strong>of</strong> <strong>traffic</strong> (N​ M​ ) and the optimal level (N*)?<br />

What is the deadweight loss per mile from <strong>to</strong>o much <strong>traffic</strong>?<br />

What should the “congestion price” be per mile dur<strong>in</strong>g time period P? (The congestion<br />

price is effectively a per unit tax that br<strong>in</strong>gs the MPC and MSC <strong>in</strong><strong>to</strong> alignment at the<br />

optimal level <strong>of</strong> <strong>traffic</strong>.)<br />

Are there any un<strong>in</strong>tended consequences possible from impos<strong>in</strong>g a congestion price<br />

dur<strong>in</strong>g peak times? (H<strong>in</strong>t: remember what substitute goods <strong>are</strong>?) Write a paragraph <strong>of</strong> at<br />

least 100 words clearly describ<strong>in</strong>g your thoughts.

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