Photo courtesy of WYCC PBS Chicago
I had a great time talking with Chris Bury (right) at WYCC about MPC's congestion work.
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Chris Bury on the WYCC (channel 20) In the Loop weekly public policy show. The show featured an in-depth look at Chicagoland commutes and congestion, featuring the story of a woman who commutes two hours each way. Bury interviewed me to get some perspective and context on the statistics and stories he presents.
In the show, at around the 5:40 mark, I discuss the Metropolitan Planning Council’s work on transportation policy, specifically highlighting:
- How Congestion Pricing can reduce delays for drivers by providing a route priced to avoid congestion and putting those revenues toward public transportation investments.
- How the decline in gas prices will expand drivers’ pocketbooks, but probably increase traffic congestion as it will make it cheaper for people to drive.
- How people are more likely to support increased revenues for transportation if they have a clear sense of what they are “getting” with the money they’re spending. People reacted positively to the increase in toll rates on the Illinois Tollway system because they knew that those tolls were being spent on the upkeep of those roads.
- How people are increasingly choosing to use transit and bike to work, particularly into the center of the region.
I appreciated the opportunity to appear on WYCC and enjoyed this chance to share MPC’s work with a TV audience.