Quick Link Selection Method by Using Pricing Strategy Based on User Equilibrium for Implementing an Effective Urban Travel Demand Management

Zargari, Shahriar Afandizadeh; Mirzahossein, Hamid; Chiu, Yi-Chang · 2016 · DOAJ

DOI: 10.7307/ptt.v28i6.2019

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (DOI — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This paper addresses the challenge of selecting optimal locations for implementing Urban Travel Demand Management (UTDM) strategies, specifically congestion pricing, to mitigate traffic congestion in urban networks. The authors argue that expanding infrastructure is often insufficient due to Braess’s paradox and urban sprawl, making demand management a more sustainable solution. The core problem is identifying which specific network links should be tolled to effectively reduce congestion while minimizing the "hidden cost" of congestion—the difference between marginal social cost and private cost. The study aims to provide a quick, optimized method for planners to determine both the location of tolls and the specific toll amounts required to achieve user equilibrium conditions that minimize total network costs. The methodology employs a two-stage optimization model termed Minimizing Hidden Cost of Congestion based on User Equilibrium (MHCCUE). In the first stage, the model solves a traffic assignment problem to determine link flows under user equilibrium (UE) conditions, where users minimize their individual travel costs. This stage utilizes the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) function to model link performance and employs a convex combinations algorithm to find equilibrium flows. In the second stage, the model minimizes the total hidden cost of congestion by calculating optimal tolls for each link. The objective function ensures that tolls are non-negative and that the resulting flow pattern aligns with the equilibrium derived in the first stage. The model assumes that the value of time (VOT) has an equal weight to travel time in cost calculations. To validate the model, the authors applied it to a standard nine-node, eighteen-link test network with four origin-destination pairs and specific demand matrices. The numerical simulation was conducted using Maple software. The results identified only two critical links (links 1 and 9) as candidates for tolling. For link 1 (arc 1-5), the model calculated a toll of 2.194, resulting in a total hidden cost of 17.903. For link 9 (arc 6-8), the toll was determined to be 7.097, with a total hidden cost of 315.578. All other links in the network were assigned a toll of zero. The study notes that this approach reduces both the total cost and the number of selected links for pricing compared to previous toll minimization methods like MinSys, MinMax, and MinTB. The significance of this research lies in providing a computationally efficient and theoretically sound tool for transportation planners. By focusing on minimizing hidden costs rather than just total tolls or the number of toll booths, the MHCCUE model offers a precise method for identifying critical bottlenecks. The findings suggest that effective congestion pricing does not require tolling the entire network but rather targeting specific links where the discrepancy between private and social costs is highest. This approach supports sustainable urban planning by encouraging efficient use of existing infrastructure through targeted economic incentives, thereby reducing congestion and associated environmental impacts without necessitating costly infrastructure expansions.

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed.

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• speed choice