Determining Optimum Configuration of One-Way and Two-Way Streets Using Shortest Path Travel Costs Based on Results of Traffic Assignment

Başkan, Özgür; Ozan, Cenk · 2018 · Crossref

DOI: 10.5505/pajes.2017.21208

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Summary

This paper addresses the problem of traffic congestion in urban road networks by proposing a method to determine the optimal configuration of one-way and two-way streets. Converting specific two-way streets to one-way operation is a cost-effective strategy to improve system performance, yet finding the optimal arrangement is a complex discrete network design problem. The authors aim to minimize total flow-weighted shortest path travel costs while accounting for user equilibrium traffic assignment. To solve this, the study develops a bilevel heuristic solution algorithm based on the Differential Evolution (DE) metaheuristic. The upper level of the model determines the optimal street configuration by minimizing the objective function, which represents the sum of demand-weighted shortest path distances. The lower level calculates User Equilibrium (UE) link flows and corresponding travel costs using the VISUM software, which is integrated into the algorithm via VBA programming. A key feature of the model is the parameter $\alpha$, which multiplies the length of links converted to one-way status to simulate increased speed and attractiveness for drivers. The DE algorithm generates binary decision variables for each link (open or closed) and iteratively refines the population through mutation, crossover, and selection processes until convergence. The proposed algorithm was tested on the Sioux-Falls city network, a standard benchmark in transportation literature. In the base case where all links operate as two-way streets, the objective function value was 4824. The algorithm identified a near-optimal configuration by closing links 6, 21, and 23, effectively converting their counterparts into one-way streets. This reconfiguration reduced the total flow-weighted shortest path travel costs to approximately 4386, representing a 10% improvement over the base case. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of the $\alpha$ parameter. Results indicated that lower values of $\alpha$ (reflecting greater speed increases on one-way links) made these routes more attractive to users, leading to better optimization outcomes, whereas higher values resulted in earlier convergence but less significant improvements due to reduced perceived benefits. The study concludes that the developed bilevel heuristic algorithm is an effective tool for optimizing one-way street configurations in urban networks. By significantly reducing travel costs compared to all-two-way scenarios, the method offers a practical approach for traffic management. The integration of VISUM allows for realistic traffic assignment, while the DE algorithm efficiently handles the discrete nature of the design problem. The authors suggest future research should apply this algorithm to signalized networks to investigate the combined effects of street configuration and signal timing.

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