Wed: Workshop

Workshop on Congestion Pricing in an Era of Challenges and Change
Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sheraton Seattle
Lee W. Munnich, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, presiding
Sponsored by Congestion Pricing Committee

How does congestion pricing fit in a changing world of short-term economic crisis and long-term economic uncertainty? This workshop is designed to draw from the knowledge of those who have studied and worked on congestion pricing projects in the U.S. and internationally to determine how congestion pricing fits in a performance-based approach to transportation management.





Agenda:

Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Workshop Program
8:00 am–4:30 pm

8:00–8:15 am Welcome and Introductions

8:15–8:45 am Keynote Presentation:
Emil Frankel, Director of Transportation Policy, Bipartisan Policy Center, "Congestion Pricing in an Era of Challenges and Change."

8:45–9:45 am Discussant Panel:
Perspectives on Congestion Pricing in the Context of the Recession, Michael Morris, Director of Transportation, North Central Texas Council of Governments (Invited)

VMT and Direct User Charges as a Replacement for the Gas Tax
James Whitty, Manager, Office of Innovative Partnerships and Alternative Funding, Oregon Department of Transportation

The Future Role of USDOT in Financing Congestion Pricing
Regina McElroy, Director of Innovative Program Delivery,
U.S. Department of Transportation

9:45–10:00 am Break

10:00–10:45 am Topics Panel #1: Introductory Presentations from Discussion Topic Experts

1) Linkages Between Congestion Pricing, Transit, Environment, and Land Use, Ronald Kirby, Director of Transportation Planning, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

2)Single-Lane Versus Network-Style Pricing; Pricing Currently "Free" Lanes, Robert Poole, Jr., Director of Transportation Studies, Reason Foundation

3) HOV/HOT Lane Safety and Enforcement Issues Lt. David Scherf, Washington State Patrol

10:45–11:30 am Roundtable Discussion #1 – Breakout Sessions

1)Linkages between Congestion Pricing, Transit, Environment, and Land Use,
2)Single-Lane Versus Network-Style Pricing; Pricing Currently "Free" lanes

3) HOV/HOT Lane Safety and Enforcement Issues

11:30 am–12:15 pm Reports from Roundtable Discussion Groups

12:15–1:15 pm Lunch Buffet (included in workshop fee)
Presentation: Congestion Pricing and Urban Mobility
Rob Bernard, Chief Environmental Strategiest, Microsoft (inivted)
Jim Stanton, Director of Facilities, Microsoft (invited)

1:15-1:45 p.m. Keynote: Performance-Based Approaches and Congestion Pricing, Mark Hallenbeck, Director of the Washington State Transportation Center, University of Washington

1:45 - 2:30 pm Panel #2: Perspectives from Policymakers
1) Federal- Jack Wells, Chief Economist, U.S. Department of Transportation
2) JayEtta Hecker, Bipartisan Policy Center
3) Sheila Babb, Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray
4) Bob Drewel, Executive Director, Puget Sound Regional Council
5) Harold Tanaguchi, Director, King County Department of Transportation

2:30–2:45 pm Break

2:45–3:30 pm Roundtable Discussion #2 – Breakout Sessions
1) Political/public acceptance issues
2) Legal/policy issues
3) Technical/modeling/planning issues

3:30–4:15 pm Reports from Roundtable Discussion Groups

4:15–4:30 pm Wrap-Up and Adjourn