In three to four weeks, all drivers will be able to use the system. The electronic toll lanes save commuters time and reduce congestion because cars do not have to stop to manually pay a toll. To use the new lanes, drivers purchase an electronic card that attaches to the inside of their windshield. They pay a fee of forty dollars or more, and as they drive through the electronic toll lane, sensors read the card and deduct the toll amount from the driver's account. The early success and popularity of the electronic toll system brings up new issues for the old debate about congestion pricing.
Congestion pricing refers to the policy of varying road prices with the amount of traffic.
For example, toll bridges might require a higher toll during rush hour, or a crowded commuter highway might offer an express lane for cars that are willing to pay an added toll. Similar pricing methods have been successfully used by long distance phone companies, airlines, and movie theaters who charge more for popular times of use. While the prospect of more tolls makes most commuters flinch, congestion pricing offers a sound solution to a worsening situation around the Bay. Currently, only Seattle and Los Angeles have greater traffic problems, and only Washington DC has a higher percentage of congested rush hour traffic. According to last month's Caltrans report, Bay Area commuters wasted 90,000 hours per day due to traffic in 1996.