A stairwell in a certain office building is always congested at 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. The congestion is so bad that people have been complaining to the building's owner. Which of the following methods would be the most efficient way of reducing congestion?
A)Assign each person in the building a time when they are allowed to use the stairwell.
B)Encourage people to voluntarily keep off the stairwell during peak times.
C)Charge everyone who uses the stairwell when it is congested the same fee. People who value the use of the stairs the most will be the ones who use the stairwell at peak times.
D)Hold a lottery to determine who wins the right to use the stairwell at peak times.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Charging a fee during peak times creates an economic incentive for people to use the stairwell at less congested times, effectively reducing congestion by allowing only those who value it most to use it during peak times.

A Stairwell in a Certain Office Building Is Always Congested