About congestion charging in DC

See "Should D.C. Adopt London-Style Congestion Tax?," from the Post.

Of the top ten congested locations, 5 are in the suburbs, 2 are in Virginia, but approaching DC, and 3 are in DC. I think it's hard to make the case about congestion charging in the Center City, except for very specific times of day.
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Note: this was a study of freeways. So its results are skewed. Places like Rt. 7 in Fairfax, or roads within DC weren't studied.
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Now, if you could have a focused charge on key routes that are problematic and car sewers, i.e., Pennsyvlania Avenue coming in from Maryland, Constitution Avenue in the morning, and Independence Avenue at night, etc., then it could make sense.

Granted I have a different perspective being a bicyclist, and able to hop on a sidewalk or ride between lines of traffic (in effect K Street has a nice bike lane during rush periods -- just ride between the car lanes) "to avoid congestion". And I believe in charging car drivers more for the costs that they impose on others, but there is so much more the City could be doing to link transportation and land use policy that it isn't doing, that focusing on congestion pricing misses the point.

For example, DC's new Comprehensive Plan says almost nothing substantive about reducing parking requirements--even though the DC Zoning Code is suburban centric and the parking requirements it has are inappropriately high for urban places. Accommodating parking induces driving.

Top 10 Worst Traffic Chokepoints for the Washington Region

1. Inner Loop I-495 (4 to 4:30 PM) from I-270 to Connecticut Avenue
1. Northbound I-395 (5 to 6 PM) from VA 110 to GW Pkwy (approaching 14th St Bridge)
3. Northbound I-95 (6 to 8 AM) from Dale Blvd to Prince William Pkwy
4. Inner Loop I-495 (6:30 to 7 AM) from St. Barnabas Road to I-295
5. Westbound Frederick Douglass and 11th St Bridges (8:30 to 9:30 AM)
6. Northbound I-395 (7:30 to 8:30 AM) from VA 110 to GW Pkwy (approaching 14th St Bridge)
7. Northbound I-295 (7:30 to 8:30 AM) from Suitland Pkwy to 11th St Bridge
7. GW Pkwy (7:30 to 8:30 AM) from Spout Run to Key Bridge
7. Eastbound I-66 (6 to 7 PM) Dulles Toll Road to Westmoreland St
7. Eastbound US 50 (5 to 6 PM) from I-95/I-495 to Martin Luther King Blvd

Source: TPB: Major Freeway Study Shows Traffic Much Worse Over Past Three Years