"American Idle: On the Road," The Wall Street Journal, February 2, 2011, Joe White

To Shorten Ever-Growing Commutes, Will Drivers Pay Money to Take Faster Lanes, Avoid Traffic?

Is spending an extra half hour a day with your kids worth $5 or $10 in extra tolls?

That's just one question people who drive to work will face as governments try to tame the time-sucking commutes in America's big cities.

The average commuter lost 34 hours—nearly a full work week—because of traffic congestion in 2009, and as the economy recovers, traffic tie-ups will likely increase. Tied for worst: Chicago and Washington, D.C., where drivers idle for an average of 70 hours a year in traffic jams, according to the latest Urban Mobility Report from the Texas Transportation Institute. . . .

Nowhere in this article does Mr. White raise the idea that public mass transit--rail or bus of whatever configuration--might play a role in reducing congestion (for those who must drive) or speeding commutes through alternative means.

Click here for the rest of the WSJ article--or watch the video below.