Download or read book Proactive and Robust Dynamic Pricing Strategies for High Occupancy toll Lanes written by Dimitra Michalaka and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ABSTRACT: Congestion pricing is to reduce congestion in transportation infrastructure by charging motorists a certain amount of money--known as a toll--for the use of the roads. Congestion pricing has been promoted by economists and transportation researchers as one of the most efficient means to mitigate traffic congestion because it employs the price mechanism with almost all the advantages of efficiency, universality and clarity. When tolls implemented on highway lanes vary by the time of day, with higher values charged during peak traffic periods, it is called as dynamic tolling. The tolled lanes are High Occupancy/ Toll Lanes (HOT) if the high occupancy vehicles are allowed to use the lanes toll-free. As the literature review indicates, many studies have been conducted to determine optimal dynamic tolls than can be implemented to roads with high congestion levels. However, most of these studies take into consideration idealized and hypothetical situations in order to derive solutions. For instance, the travel demand is assumed to be known as well as motorists' willingness to pay, i.e., how much money they are likely to pay for using the managed facility. In addition, there is not any model that takes into consideration uncertainty of demand or capacity for the determination of the toll values. Therefore, this thesis develops a more robust and proactive approach to determine time-varying tolls for HOT lanes in response to real-time traffic conditions. The toll rates are optimized to provide free-flow conditions to managed lanes while maximizing freeway's throughput. The approach consists of several key components, including demand learning and scenario-based robust toll optimization. Simulation experiments are conducted to validate and demonstrate the proposed approach.

Download or read book Applications of Heuristic Algorithms to Optimal Road Congestion Pricing written by Don Graham and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2023-10-04 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Road congestion imposes major financial, social, and environmental costs. One solution is the operation of high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes. This book outlines a method for dynamic pricing for HOT lanes based on non-linear programming (NLP) techniques, finite difference stochastic approximation, genetic algorithms, and simulated annealing stochastic algorithms, working within a cell transmission framework. The result is a solution for optimal flow and optimal toll to minimize total travel time and reduce congestion. ANOVA results are presented which show differences in the performance of the NLP algorithms in solving this problem and reducing travel time, and econometric forecasting methods utilizing vector autoregressive techniques are shown to successfully forecast demand. The book compares different optimization approaches It presents case studies from around the world, such as the I-95 Express HOT Lane in Miami, USA Applications of Heuristic Algorithms to Optimal Road Congestion Pricing is ideal for transportation practitioners and researchers.

Download or read book Optimal Dynamic Pricing for Managed Lanes with Multiple Entrances and Exits written by Venktesh Pandey and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dynamic pricing models are explored in this thesis for high-occupancy/toll (HOT) lanes, which are increasingly being considered as a means to relieve congestion by providing a reliable travel time alternative to travelers. The work is focused on two aspects of dynamic pricing: (a) utilizing real-time traffic measurements to inform parameters of the pricing model and (b) developing a optimal pricing formulation for managed lanes with multiple entrances and exits. The first part of the thesis develops a non-linear estimation model to determine the parameters of the value of time (VOT) distribution using real-time loop detector measurements. The estimation model is run on a HOT network with a single entrance and exit assuming the VOT has a Burr distribution. The estimation results show that the true parameter values of a VOT distribution for a population can be learned from loop detector readings measured before and after the toll gantry location. Differing toll profile predictions are observed for different choices of initial conditions. The observability of the collected measurements to estimate the parameters of the model is identified as a primary factor for the non-linear estimation to work in real-time. Further research areas are identified to extend the analysis of using real-time loop detector data for complex HOT networks and for different toll optimization objectives. The second part proposes a dynamic programming (DP) formulation to solve distance-based optimal tolling for HOT lanes with multiple entrances and exits (HOT-MEME) under deterministic demand conditions. The simplifying assumptions made to model HOT-MEME networks found in the literature are relaxed. Two objectives are considered for optimization: maximizing generated revenue and minimizing experienced total system travel time. A spatial queue model is used to capture the traffic dynamics and a multinomial logit model is used to simulate lane choice at each diverge. A backward recursion algorithm is applied, under simplifying assumptions for the definition of the state of the system, to solve for the optimal toll. The results indicate that the DP approach can theoretically determine optimal tolls for HOT lanes with multiple entrances and exits, but further research needs to be conducted for the algorithm to work practically for medium to large size networks. Recommendations are made in the conclusion about how advanced methods can be utilized to tackle the computational constraints.

Download or read book Alternative High Occupancy toll Lane Pricing Strategies and Their Effect on Market Share written by Michael Janson and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Dynamic Road Pricing and the Value of Time and Reliability written by Daniel Brent and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes that use dynamic pricing to manage congestion and generate revenue are increasingly popular. In this paper, we estimate the behavioral response of drivers to dynamic pricing in an HOT lane. The challenge in estimation lies in the simultaneity of price and demand: the structure of dynamic tolling ensures that prices increase as more drivers enter the HOT lane. Prior research has found that higher prices in HOT lanes increase usage. We find that after controlling for simultaneity HOT drivers instead respond to tolls in a manner consistent with economic theory. The average response to a 10 percent increase in the toll is a 1.6 percent reduction in usage. Drivers primarily value travel reliability over time savings, although there is heterogeneity in the relative values of time and reliability based on time of day and destination to or from work. The results highlight the importance of both controlling for simultaneity when estimating demand for dynamically priced toll roads and treating HOT lanes with dynamic prices as a differentiated product with bundled attributes.

Download or read book A Decision Support System Tool for Dynamic Pricing of Managed Lanes written by Maryam Zabihi and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Congestion pricing and managed lanes (ML) have been recently gaining interest around the country as a congestion management tool and as a means of revenue generation for facility maintenance and expansion as well repayment of highway construction debts. Congestion pricing in MLs entails one of several strategies, including time of day pricing, dynamic pricing based on predicted/anticipated traffic conditions, and real-time dynamic pricing based on actual traffic conditions. The overall goal of this study has been to develop a Decision Support System (DSS) tool based on drivers' revealed willingness to pay (WTP) values. This should determine more effective dynamic toll pricing that achieves the ML corridors' operational goals. A key challenge has been estimating drivers' revealed WTP as influenced by their perceived values of time or by other factors such as enhanced safety and more reliable travel times. While there are significant advances made in the available methods to estimate WTP, research still lacks in the area of dynamic pricing. Indeed, for dynamic toll pricing systems, setting real-time toll prices based only on drivers' average WTP values appears ineffective. However, the WTP values estimated through existing methods represent the average value of travel time saving and/or reliability (VOT and/or VOR) for the total population. This makes the current approaches more compatible with static networks, which cannot efficiently address the nature of dynamic corridors. Another major drawback associated with current methods is that the travelers WTP values are measured in terms of price paid to save one unit of travel time (VOT). However, the travelers' WTP to use MLs has been shown to be for a number of intertwined reasons and not just for time savings. This study suggests a number of unique approaches in estimating WTP values. These include a new revealed data source as well as an alternative analysis method for estimating WTP. To obtain more accurate results, the study was limited to the North Tarrant Expressway (NTE) drivers in North Texas and was conducted for different time periods. For this study, traffic count data were reduced from the camera images for different vehicle categories and for five different time periods, including AM and PM peaks, AM and PM inter-peaks, and off-peak periods. In addition, real-time toll prices associated with the study segment and the day and time of the data collection were obtained from the NTE website. The data analysis method involved an existing toll pricing model (TPM) developed in a former Texas Department of Transportation study for setting tolls for MLs. The model was modified and calibrated based on actual ML shares and associated toll prices for the NTE ML corridor. The modified version of TPM (version 5.0) can be employed as a DSS tool to estimate the WTP values for drivers of any vehicle class and for any time of day. Values of about $119, $101, $71, $75, and $59 per hours were estimated as the revealed average WTP for the NTE SOV drivers during AM peak, PM peak, AM inter-peak, PM inter-peak, and off-peak periods, respectively. In addition, a value of $85 per hour was estimated for the mean revealed WTP (all periods inclusive) for the NTE SOV drivers. The results of this study showed relatively high WTP values and ML share percentages for the NTE drivers, indicating a high level of acceptance of MLs in the region. Finally, this study suggested applying a new paradigm in WTP estimation studies. The employed data collection and analysis methods were two components of the new paradigm. Besides, the new paradigm recommended evaluating real-time WTP by time of day instead of average WTP values for dynamic pricing schemes. The last component was a recommendation to attribute the WTP values to the travelers' willingness to pay to drive one unit distance on toll lanes instead of to save one unit of travel time.The DSS tool developed in this study for the NTE ML has the potential to be used by ML operators to measure the real-time WTP values for the ML users. The results of this new methodology may not directly address the questions about travelers' behavior in terms of their reasons to choose between the MLs and GPLs. However, these results can significantly contribute to decision making about transportation policies, in particular, the policies associated with dynamic congestion pricing for ML corridors.

Download or read book Enhancement and Evaluation of Dynamic Pricing Strategies of Managed Toll Lanes written by Dimitra Michalaka and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Then, the tolling practice for the multi-segment HOT lane facilities is outlined and recommendations for the future 95 Express, which will be expanded into a multi-segment facility, are made. This research also includes the enhancement of a microscopic simulation tool, CORSIM, to simulate HOT lane operations. Three main modeling components are developed, including three pricing strategies, a lane-choice module, and four toll structures for multi-segment HOT facilities. The enhanced software is demonstrated by simulating the current and future 95Express. The result is that CORSIM enhancements are able to capture the primary characteristics of HOT lane operations and management.

Download or read book Network Design And Optimization For Smart Cities written by Panos M Pardalos and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2017-05-03 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive reference text is a collection of important research findings on the latest developments in network modeling for optimization of smart cities. Such models can be used from outlining the fundamental concepts of urban development to the description and optimization of physical networks, such as power, water or telecommunications. Networks help us understand city economics and various aspects of human interactions within cities with particular applications in quality of life and the flow of people and goods. Finally, the natural environment and even the climate of cities can be modeled and managed as networks.

Download or read book The Future of Electric Power in the United States written by National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine and published by . This book was released on 2021-11-25 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Electric power is essential for the lives and livelihoods of all Americans, and the need for electricity that is safe, clean, affordable, and reliable will only grow in the decades to come. At the request of Congress and the Department of Energy, the National Academies convened a committee of experts to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the U.S. grid and how it how it might evolve in response to advances in new energy technologies, changes in demand, and future innovation. The Future of Electric Power in the United States presents an extensive set of policy and funding recommendations aimed at modernizing the U.S. electric system. The report addresses technology development, operations, grid architectures, and business practices, as well as ways to make the electricity system safe, secure, sustainable, equitable, and resilient.

Download or read book Guide for High occupancy Vehicle HOV Facilities written by American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and published by American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials. This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book HOV Systems Manual written by Texas Transportation Institute and published by Transportation Research Board National Academy of Sciences. This book was released on 1998 with total page 876 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Fundamentals of Traffic Simulation written by Jaume Barceló and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-01-06 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The increasing power of computer technologies, the evolution of software en- neering and the advent of the intelligent transport systems has prompted traf c simulation to become one of the most used approaches for traf c analysis in s- port of the design and evaluation of traf c systems. The ability of traf c simulation to emulate the time variability of traf c phenomena makes it a unique tool for capturing the complexity of traf c systems. In recent years, traf c simulation – and namely microscopic traf c simulation – has moved from the academic to the professional world. A wide variety of traf- c simulation software is currently available on the market and it is utilized by thousands of users, consultants, researchers and public agencies. Microscopic traf c simulation based on the emulation of traf c ows from the dynamics of individual vehicles is becoming one the most attractive approaches. However, traf c simulation still lacks a uni ed treatment. Dozens of papers on theory and applications are published in scienti c journals every year. A search of simulation-related papers and workshops through the proceedings of the last annual TRB meetings would support this assertion, as would a review of the minutes from speci cally dedicated meetings such as the International Symposiums on Traf c Simulation (Yokohama, 2002; Lausanne, 2006; Brisbane, 2008) or the International Workshops on Traf c Modeling and Simulation (Tucson, 2001; Barcelona, 2003; Sedona, 2005; Graz 2008). Yet, the only comprehensive treatment of the subject to be found so far is in the user’s manuals of various software products.

Download or read book Estimating Toll Road Demand and Revenue written by David S. Kriger and published by Transportation Research Board. This book was released on 2006 with total page 113 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Guidelines for Implementing Managed Lanes written by Kay Fitzpatrick and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Urban Mobility Report 2004 written by David Schrank and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2008-10 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Congestion continues to grow in America¿s urban areas. This report presents details on the 2004 trends, findings and what can be done to address the growing transportation problems. Trend data from 1982 to 2002 for 85 urban areas provides both a local view and a national perspective on the growth and extent of traffic congestion. The 2004 Report provides clear evidence that the time for improvements has arrived. Communicating the congestion levels and the need for improvements is a goal of this report. The decisions about which, and how much, improvement to fund will be made at the local level according to a variety of goals, but there are some broad conclusions that can be drawn from this database. Tables.

Download or read book INFORMS Annual Meeting written by Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences. National Meeting and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Traveler Information Needs written by International Visitors Information Service and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on traveler information requests at Dulles International Airport, Union Station and the National Visitor Center, Washington, D.C.