OPTIMAL POLICIES FOR REDUCING CONGESTION OF MAJOR COMMUTING ARTERIES IN A GROWING URBANIZED AREA

In this paper we develop a dynamic disequilibrium model characterizing the changing states of system capacity and traffic volume for a numbe r of major commuting arteries in an urban highway system. This model m ay be used to solve the planning problem of determining how limited ne w construction and traffic control measures may be combined to reduce drive-alone commuting and other drive-alone travel at peak times in an urbanized area where growth and change are ongoing. We derive the set of conditions that characterize the optimal control solution to the p roblem, discuss how the approach suggested can be operationalized, and use a small empirical example to demonstrate the approach's feasibili ty.