8.

6 Highway Route Choice 311

x2
2
4.5 − x2 w3
= 6w + 2w + 4w +
0 3
0

x23
= 27 − 6 x2 + 40.5 − 18 x2 + 2 x22 + 4 x2 +
3
To arrive at a minimum, the first derivative is set to zero, giving

dS ( x )
= x22 + 4 x2 − 20 = 0
dx2

which gives x2 = 2899 veh/h, the same value as found in Example 8.10. It can readily be
shown that all other flows and travel times will also be the same as those computed in
Example 8.10.

8.6.4 System Optimization

16B

From an idealistic point of view, one can visualize a single route choice strategy that
results in the lowest possible number of total vehicle hours of travel for some
specified origin-destination traffic flow. Such strategy is known as a system-optimal
route choice and is based on the choice rule that travelers will behave such that total
system travel time will be minimized, even though travelers may be able to decrease
their own individual travel times by unilaterally changing routes. From this definition
it is clear that system-optimal flows are not stable, because there will always be a
temptation for travelers to switch to non–system-optimal routes in order to improve
their travel times. Thus system-optimal flows are generally not a realistic
representation of actual traffic. Nevertheless, system-optimal flows often provide
useful comparisons with the more realistic user-equilibrium traffic forecasts.
The system-optimal route choice rule is made operational by the following
mathematical program:

min S ( x) = ¦x t (x )
n
n n n (8.9)

This program is subject to the constraints of flow conservation ( q = ¦ x

n n
) and
nonnegativity (xn ≥ 0).

EXAMPLE 8.14 SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION

Determine the system-optimal travel time for the situation described in Example 8.10.

SOLUTION
Using Eq. 8.9 and substituting the performance functions for routes 1 and 2 yields
312 Chapter 8 Travel Demand and Traffic Forecasting

(
S ( x) = x1 ( 6 + 4 x1 ) + x2 4 + x22 )
= 6 x1 + 4 x12 + 4 x2 + x23

From flow conservation, x1 = 4.5 − x2; therefore,

2
S ( x) = 6 ( 4.5 − x2 ) + 4 ( 4.5 − x2 ) + 4 x2 + x23
= x23 + 4 x22 − 38 x2 + 108

To find the minimum, the first derivative is set to zero, giving

dS ( x )
= 3 x22 + 8 x2 − 38 = 0
dx2

which gives x2 = 2.467 and x1 = 4.5 − 2.467 = 2.033. For system-optimal travel times,

t1 = 6 + 4 ( 2.033) = 14.13 min

2
t2 = 4 + ( 2.467 ) = 10.08 min

which are not user-equilibrium travel times, because t1 is not equal to t2. In Example 8.10,
the total user-equilibrium travel time is computed as 930 veh-h [4500(12.4)/60]. For the
system-optimal total travel time [(t1x1 + t2x2)/60],

ª¬ 2033 (14.13) + 2467 (10.08 ) º¼

= 893.2 veh-h
60

Therefore, the system-optimal solution results in a systemwide travel time savings of 36.8
veh-h.

EXAMPLE 8.15 COMPARISON OF USER-EQUILIBRIUM AND SYSTEM-OPTIMAL

SOLUTIONS
Two roads begin at a gate entrance to a park and take different scenic routes to a single
main attraction in the park. The park manager knows that 4000 vehicles arrive during the
peak hour, and he distributes these vehicles among the two routes so that an equal number
of vehicles take each route. The performance functions for the routes are t1 = 10 + x1 and t2
= 5 + 3x2, with the x’s expressed in thousands of vehicles per hour and the t’s in minutes.
How many vehicle-hours would have been saved had the park manager distributed the
vehicular traffic so as to achieve a system-optimal solution?
SOLUTION
For the number of vehicle hours, assuming an equal distribution of traffic among the two
routes,

x1t1 2000 [10 + (2)]

Route 1 : = = 400 veh-h
60 60
 8.6 Highway Route Choice 313

x2 t2 2000 [5 + 3(2) ]
Route 2: = = 366.67 veh-h
60 60

for a total of 766.67 veh-h. With the system-optimal traffic distribution, the performance
functions are substituted into Eq. 8.9, giving
S(x) = (10 + x1) x1 + (5 + 3x2)x2

With flow conservation, x1 = 4.0 − x2, so that

S ( x ) = 4 x22 − 13 x2 + 56

Setting the first derivative equal to zero,

dS ( x)
= 8 x2 − 13 = 0
dx2

gives x2 = 1.625 and x1 = 4 − 1.625 = 2.375. The total travel times are

x1t1 2375 [10 + 2.375]

Route 1: = = 489.84 veh-h
60 60
xt 1625 [5 + 3(1.625) ]
Route 2: 2 2 = = 267.45 veh-h
60 60

which gives a total system travel time of 757.27 veh-h or a savings of 9.38 veh-h (766.67 −
757.29) over the equal distribution of traffic to the two routes.

EXAMPLE 8.16 SYSTEM OPTIMAL SOLUTIONʊMINIMIZING PERSON-HOURS

During the peak hour, an urban freeway segment has a traffic flow of 4000 veh/h (2000
vehicles with one occupant and 2000 vehicles with two occupants). The freeway has five
lanes, four of which are unrestricted (open to all vehicles regardless of vehicle occupancy)
and one that is restricted for use by vehicles with two occupants. The performance functions
for the length of this freeway segment are tu = 4 + 0.5xu for the unrestricted lanes (all four
combined) and tr = 4 + 2xr for the restricted lane (t’s are in minutes and x’s in thousands of
vehicles per hour). Determine the distribution of traffic among the lanes such that the total
number of person hours is minimized, and compare the savings in person hours relative to a
user equilibrium solution (assume that compliance is perfect and that no single-occupant
vehicles use the restricted lane).
SOLUTION
As stated in the problem, the 2000 single-occupant vehicles must use the unrestricted lanes.
Begin by determining the distribution of traffic that will minimize total person hours. Using
the subscripts r for restricted lane, u1 for single-occupant vehicles using the unrestricted
lanes, and u2 for two-occupant vehicles using the unrestricted lanes, total person hours can
be written as

S(x) = xrtr × 2 + xu2tu × 2 + xu1tu × 1

where