Currently, San Francisco city officials are considering whether or not to charge a $3 fee to enter and leave downtown San Francisco in an effort to reduce congestion and pollution in the area. Understandably, many residents of San Francisco are getting rubbed the wrong way with talk of adding more fees and inconveniences to their lives, and the timing for such a charge couldn't be worse as America sits in an economic slump.
Jose Luis Moscovich, executive director of the San Francisco Country Transportation Authority (SFCTA), has long been a proponent of implementing congestion charges in the city, as has San Francisco Mayor, Gavin Newson. While the SFCTA completes its feasibility study for the project, Newson has already declared his support for the plan, claiming that "a sensible congestion-pricing plan is the single greatest step we can take to protect our environment and improve our quality of life," during an interview with The Detroit News.
Important details are still being worked out, such as where the congestion charge will be applied from. Some reports suggest that the charge could be levied at the major entry points for the city, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, or in the more congested areas of downtown and the Civic Center.