San Francisco Road Pricing

The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) conducted an HIA to address a proposed policy in San Francisco that would charge a fee for driving in congested areas during AM/PM rush hours and use the revenue to support transportation infrastructure and services. The HIA analyzed potential health effects of two scenarios: city plans for growth without new policies such as congestion pricing and city plans that do include congestion pricing and public-transit enhancements. Health effects include impacts on active transportation, air pollution, and pedestrian and cyclist injury. The HIA found that planning for growth without new policies would likely have negative health effects resulting from air pollution and would lead to more pedestrians and cyclists hit by vehicles. The HIA found that including congestion pricing in city plans for growth would likely reduce negative health impacts due to air pollution and collisions, and would promote active transportation. The HIA found no inequitable health effects on low-income, elderly or young populations in the plan to include congestion pricing.

The HIA made several recommendations, including increasing the congestion pricing fees where they can reduce health risks, investing in traffic calming along arterials in and near the road-pricing zone, and investing in walking and biking infrastructure to encourage trips by foot and by bike into and out of the road-pricing zone.