Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said congestion pricing is working in New York City and sees it as a strong traffic-calming solution for the Hub.<\/p>\n
The Wu administration\u2019s intent to study congestion pricing<\/a> as a strategy to discourage people from driving into Boston was first revealed in the mayor\u2019s climate action plan this week, and Wu made her position clearer on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always believed that every tool should be on the table and this is an important one,\u201d Wu said on GBH\u2019s Boston Public Radio. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing it work in New York.\u201d<\/p>\n Wu said congestion pricing, which would impose a fee for drivers traveling into Boston, has the ability to reduce traffic and pollution by charging higher prices at peak hours to \u201ceven out the traffic,\u201d and encourage the use of public transportation.<\/p>\n She said a congestion charge would also provide funding to improve public transportation in the region.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can be a win-win, if we can deliver on it,\u201d Wu said. \u201cWe need to continue \u2026 studying this, because if we want to get past certain ceilings on what we\u2019re doing with climate, with traffic flow, with public transportation access, there are tools that are available that could help push us through.\u201d<\/p>\n Congestion pricing is listed as a strategy in Wu\u2019s five-year climate action plan, which was released by the city on Monday and aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and 50% of that goal by 2030.<\/p>\n