Jamie Forzato, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – D.C. Mayor Vince Gray says new transportation strategies will need to be explored to accommodate the area’s growing population.
The Washington, D.C. metro area has again topped the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s annual report on the worst congestion in the nation. Drivers in the nation’s capital need almost three hours for a commute that should take 30 minutes without traffic.
“I don’t think you fix it by having more cars. You need a variety of ways to get people around,” Gray said Saturday. “Hopefully we’re at the point where we’re getting people to think about changing their behavior.”
He says all options are on the table, including a congestion tax.
“It’s a possibility. I wouldn’t rule it out,” Gray says. “I haven’t considered it yet. I know they do that in London where you can’t go into certain areas of the city with a car without paying. But I don’t think we’re at that point yet.”
Another possibility to ease congestion is increasing telework options.
“Telework, whether it’s a four-day workweek or not, is certainly an important consideration,” he says.
Gray says one of the long term goals of his Sustainable D.C. plan is to have 75 percent of trips be car-free by 2032.
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