London, New York…Morristown? Congestion pricing may be Hail Mary for town traffic

Everyone complains about Morristown traffic. So far, nobody has found the answer.

But MorristownGreen.com has learned there is speculation downtown about a bold approach: Congestion pricing.

Such a plan has spurred controversy in New York City, where officials are poised to implement increased tolls for motorists who enter midtown during peak hours. Congestion pricing has reduced traffic and pollution while generating revenues in London, Stockholm and Singapore.

More than one-third of Morristown’s traffic consists of vehicles passing through to someplace else, according to a $400,000 study by the global firm Arup in 2016. Mayor Tim Dougherty often notes this finding when advocating for regional cooperation on traffic issues.

Although details are sketchy, and local officials remain tight-lipped, we understand congestion pricing would look something like this:

License plate scanning equipment would be placed on Morristown’s borders at key through-roads. (Toll booths were deemed too costly, and only would create greater backups, according to one source who must remain nameless for obvious reasons.)

Among thorny technical and administrative questions to be resolved:

• Toll fees.
• Negotiating arrangements with neighboring towns and states to collect payments through the mail and online.
• How to exempt Morristown residents, so they aren’t charged every time they return home.
• Whether to exempt Morris Township residents, because their municipality encircles Morristown and they must traverse the Town to attend events across the Township.
• Obtaining approval from the state Department of Transportation.

DOT Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti and her staff met with town officials in Morristown in February. Agenda items included synchronizing the town’s antiquated traffic signals, and realigning the Spring Street/ Speedwell Avenue intersection, arguably the worst bottleneck in town.

It’s unclear whether congestion pricing came up during the closed-door discussion. Stay tuned.

One observer theorized congestion pricing could be the development that finally sparks merger talks between Morristown and Morris Township.

A more likely move, according to others in the know, would be Morristown’s sale of discount passes to Township motorists. This would be patterned after Morristown’s new program that sells temporary street parking permits to town residents who are entertaining overnight guests.

Where would toll scanners be located?  The Arup study makes possible some educated guesses.

Five Morristown corridors experience the bulk of just-passing-through trips during rush hours, according to that report.

During morning commutes, nonresidents comprise 74 percent of northbound traffic on Mills Street; on eastbound Washington Street, 70 percent; southbound Ridgedale Avenue, 67 percent; southbound Martin Luther King Avenue, 65 percent; westbound Washington Street, 62 percent.

During afternoon drive time, through traffic accounts for 62 percent of westbound traffic on Washington; Ridgedale northbound, 60 percent; Mills southbound, 59 percent; Martin Luther King northbound, 58 percent; Sussex Avenue westbound, 54 percent.

MORE ABOUT THIS STORY