A recent study showing the health impacts to infants living close to traffic jammed toll plazas provides another reason for new MTA chairman Jay Walder to direct his agency to finally get rid of the outdated, congestion-causing barrier arms on its bridges and tunnels. The study, “Traffic Congestion and Infant Health,” was published by the National Bureau of Economic Research and spotlights the role of highway technology, in this case E-ZPass, in delivering public benefits like reduced air pollution to the most vulnerable of populations.
The researchers examined birth records from families living near the NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and Pennsylvania Turnpike, examining the years before and after the introduction of E-ZPass on those highways. After comparing households who lived near toll plazas with those near other parts of the highway, and controlling for several other factors, the researchers conclude that “E-ZPass reduced the incidence of prematurity and low birth weight in the vicinity [2km] of toll plazas by 10.83% and 11.8% respectively.” Engineering studies cited in the report showed that E-ZPass reduced toll plaza delays by up to 85% and reduced pollutants like nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide up to 50%. The study also references research showing that exposure to carbon monoxide in particular is associated with “negative birth outcomes.”
Despite modern camera and video technology, MTA toll machines still use old-fashioned “arms” that are lowered as a barrier to toll evasion. Some of the most widely used interstates and roads in our region, such as the Garden State Parkway and New York State Thruway, have non-stop tolling at highway speeds. Some progress might not be too far ahead as the MTA and Port Authority of NY and NJ have feasibility studies underway for cashless tolling on their facilities.
Tri-State has pressed the MTA for barrier-free tolling for years (see MTR #s 462 and 417) releasing a report, “The Open Road,” in 2004. At the time, the agency claimed that toll gates improved safety by “metering traffic” and that gateless tolls could lead to lost revenue. MTA arguments have not changed much since then; in a recent letter from MTA Bridges and Tunnels shared by a reader, the agency again warned that eliminating the barriers could result in a revenue loss that would reduce revenue for public transit. But many agencies that have switched to high-speed tolling have figured out how to avoid such losses. Furthermore, the NBER study joins a growing body of research that suggests the public health, environmental, and economic benefits far outweigh the costs. For the three highways they studied, the report authors value the health benefits from reduced prematurity alone at $77 million over three years.
Image: Cashless tolling gantry in Delaware (Photo Christopher G. Mason/courtesy Bridge Tolls Advocacy Project).
