There's still buzz around the idea of "congestion pricing" in urban planning circles, even though the proposal to try it in New York City was blocked by state lawmakers.

Could there be something in the concept that could help with O'ahu's traffic woes? Certainly not for right now.

New York was hoping to adapt a system used in London that reduces rush-hour traffic in the urban center. It works by electronically tracking cars that come into the city at peak hours and charging the car owners a premium.

The City Council is considering a study of congestion pricing for Honolulu. The immediate obstacles are obvious: Cities where this has worked have established rapid-transit alternatives for commuters to use, and Honolulu doesn't yet have such a system.

And although congestion pricing could ease downtown traffic, it won't help with the inbound freeway and highway logjams, which for this island is the bigger problem.

It would be wrong to raise the price for driving into the city with no large-capacity transit option in place. Only those who could afford a premium would have a reasonable means of commuting during peak times, and such a policy would unfairly penalize those who don't.

City Council member Charles Djou believes premium pricing could encourage more employers to locate in the "second city" of Kapolei, reducing the flow of workers into Honolulu's urban core.

But the convenience of employees won't be a big enough incentive to lure businesses to West O'ahu.

However, there's no harm in evaluating how congestion pricing might fit in the island's transportation future, as long as it answers key questions:

Would a working rail system be necessary, or could intermediate improvements and alternatives be offered that would make congestion pricing practical for this city?

Would increased opportunities for telecommuting and flex-time scheduling help enough to keep people off the roads? Would a network of park-and-ride lots served by shuttle buses prove a sufficient alternative while the rail is being built? Could the ferry service be expanded?

Any study the council commissions should be kept within a modest budget, and it should seek answers to these questions.