What public policy could help alleviate traffic problems in Hawaii without building new infrastructure?

Implementing road congestion tolls is a public policy approach that can effectively alleviate traffic problems without the need for new infrastructure. This strategy involves charging drivers a fee to use certain roads during peak traffic times, which encourages better traffic management by incentivizing drivers to alter their travel times, carpool, or use alternative transportation modes.

By imposing these tolls, congestion can be reduced as some drivers may choose to avoid the tolls altogether or shift their travel to off-peak hours, thereby lowering the overall volume of vehicles on the roads during the busiest times. This approach also generates revenue that can be reinvested into transportation improvements, such as enhancing public transit options or maintaining existing roadways.

Other options, while potentially helpful in their own right, either imply significant new infrastructure investment or are less effective at directly managing demand during peak traffic times. For instance, merely increasing public transportation options may not address immediate congestion issues unless accompanied by initiatives that change travel behavior. Limiting vehicle registrations could be a more drastic and less popular measure, while building more roads could ultimately lead to increased traffic due to the phenomenon known as induced demand, where expanding road capacity encourages more driving.