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Driving restrictions that work? Quito's Pico y Placa Program

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  • Paul E. Carrillo
  • Arun S. Malik
  • Yiseon Yoo

Abstract

Programs to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution by restricting use of motor vehicles on working days have generally not met with success, given existing studies of such programs. We conduct the first study of Quito, Ecuador's four‐year‐old Pico y Placa program and find that it has reduced ambient concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), a pollutant primarily emitted by vehicles, by 9% to 11% during peak traffic hours. Given that ambient concentrations of CO generally track the spatial and temporal distributions of traffic, these reductions in pollution suggest similar reductions in vehicle flows. We find no significant evidence that traffic has shifted to other times of the day or week, or to other locations. Des restrictions au trafic automobile qui marchent : le programme Pico y Placa de Quito. Les programmes de réduction du trafic automobile et de la pollution de l'air via des restrictions sur l'usage des automobiles dans les jours ouvrables ont généralement échoué, selon les études disponibles. Les auteurs présentent la première étude du programme Pico y Placa de Quito en Equateur ‐ un programme mis en place au cours des dernières années. On montre qu'il a réduit la concentration ambiante de monoxide de carbone (un polluant émis surtout par les véhicules) de 9 à 11% durant les heures de trafic le plus intensif. Comme les mesures de concentrations ambiantes de monoxide de carbone sont reliées aux coordonnées spatiales et temporelles du trafic, ces réductions de pollution suggèrent des réductions correspondantes de flux de véhicules. Les auteurs n'ont aucune indication que le trafic a été déplacé vers d'autres plages horaires dans la journée ou la semaine ou vers d'autres lieux.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul E. Carrillo & Arun S. Malik & Yiseon Yoo, 2016. "Driving restrictions that work? Quito's Pico y Placa Program," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 49(4), pages 1536-1568, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:canjec:v:49:y:2016:i:4:p:1536-1568
    DOI: 10.1111/caje.12243
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    1. repec:lpe:wpaper:201829 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Viard, V. Brian & Fu, Shihe, 2015. "The effect of Beijing's driving restrictions on pollution and economic activity," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 98-115.
    3. Venables, Anthony & Duranton, Gilles, 2018. "Place-Based Policies for Development," CEPR Discussion Papers 12889, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Allen Blackman & Francisco Alpízar & Fredrik Carlsson & Marisol Rivera Planter, 2018. "A Contingent Valuation Approach to Estimating Regulatory Costs: Mexico’s Day without Driving Program," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(3), pages 607-641.
    5. Sun, Chuanwang & Xu, Shuhua & Yang, Mian & Gong, Xu, 2022. "Urban traffic regulation and air pollution: A case study of urban motor vehicle restriction policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    6. Claudia N. Berg & Uwe Deichmann & Yishen Liu & Harris Selod, 2017. "Transport Policies and Development," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(4), pages 465-480, April.
    7. Carrillo, Paul E. & Lopez-Luzuriaga, Andrea & Malik, Arun S., 2018. "Pollution or crime: The effect of driving restrictions on criminal activity," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 50-69.
    8. Rhiannon Jerch & Panle Jia Barwick & Shanjun Li & Jing Wu, 2020. "Road Rationing Policies and Housing Markets," DETU Working Papers 2004, Department of Economics, Temple University.
    9. Han, Qing & Liu, Ying & Lu, Zilong, 2020. "Temporary driving restrictions, air pollution, and contemporaneous health: Evidence from China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    10. Rivera, Nathaly M., 2021. "Air quality warnings and temporary driving bans: Evidence from air pollution, car trips, and mass-transit ridership in Santiago," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    11. Piera Bello, 2021. "The environmental cost and the accident externality of driving: Evidence from the Swiss franc's appreciation," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 59(3), pages 1440-1458, July.
    12. Yanez-Pagans, Patricia & Martinez, Daniel & Mitnik, Oscar A. & Scholl, Lynn & Vazquez, Antonia, 2018. "Urban Transport Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges and Lessons Learned," IZA Discussion Papers 11812, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Arcila, Andres & Chen, Tao & Lu, Xiaolan, 2018. "The effectiveness of consumption tax on the reduction of car pollution in China," CLEF Working Paper Series 15, Canadian Labour Economics Forum (CLEF), University of Waterloo.
    14. Patricia Yañez-Pagans & Daniel Martinez & Oscar A. Mitnik & Lynn Scholl & Antonia Vazquez, 2019. "Urban transport systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: lessons and challenges," Latin American Economic Review, Springer;Centro de Investigaciòn y Docencia Económica (CIDE), vol. 28(1), pages 1-25, December.
    15. Salgado, Edgar & Mitnik, Oscar A., 2021. "Spatial and Time Spillovers of Driving Restrictions: Causal Evidence from Limas Pico y Placa Policy," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 11818, Inter-American Development Bank.
    16. Lyu, Xueying, 2022. "Car restriction policies and housing markets," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    17. Blackman, Allen & Qin, Ping & Yang, Jun, 2020. "How costly are driving restrictions? Contingent valuation evidence from Beijing," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise

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