Congestion / Road Pricing Study: Metropolitan Area of Minneapolis and St. Paul

Abstract

This report summarizes the results of a preliminary feasibility assessment of congestion/road pricing in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The study was authorized under a contract with the Metropolitan Council; with funding and administrative guidance provided jointly by representatives of the Council, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the University of Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies. The study addressed the general viability of congestion and/or road pricing concepts. The principal differences between the two concepts lie in the method and scope of application and the primary motivation for implementation. Congestion pricing, in the classical sense, is aimed explicitly at demand management which might involve relatively high levels of toll charges in more concentrated, congested areas. Road pricing would typically represent a more broadly applied user fee, in which both demand management and revenue generation are key objectives.