'Roads are a scarce good'

A view of heavy traffic on 10th Avenue in New York City

A view of heavy traffic on 10th Avenue in Manhattan

(Image credit: Jeenah Moon / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

published 12 June 2024

'People hate traffic. They also hate this great idea to clear it.'

Megan McArdle at The Washington Post

New York City recently paused its congestion pricing program, and if it "can't be done in Manhattan, it seems safe to say it can't be done anywhere else in America, either," says Megan McArdle. "This is a pity" because "when roads are 'free,' we are forced to fall back on a more costly and inefficient strategy: sitting in traffic." It is "far better to charge a modest price ... until supply and demand are balanced and traffic flows easily."

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Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.