ABSTRACT
Toll cordons are operated in three Norwegian cities. It started in 1985 when the City Council in Bergen decided to introduce a toll cordon in order to raise money for road projects that were badly needed. While toll financing of motorways or specific projects like road tunnels and bridges are common both in Norway and many other countries, the Norwegian urban toll cordons are quite unique. The revenue from the toll cordons is earmarked for road projects with a minor share going to infrastructure for public transport, mainly bus lanes. The government spends less on roads than the revenue from taxes on car ownership and car use. People are constantly reminded that the tolls have visible results in terms of improvements in the road systems and are not just another tax. Evaluation must in any case be relative to some realistic alternative and take into consideration the financial and political constraints faced by the local authorities.
