Equilibrium analysis of macroscopic traffic oscillations

Nie, Yu (Marco)

Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, 2010, vol. 44, issue 1, 62-72

Abstract: Using a simple network model with two parallel links connecting a diverge and a merge, this paper studies under what conditions traffic oscillations may be initiated and propagated in a traffic stream, specially at freeway bottlenecks. Drivers are assumed to minimize either the experienced or instantaneous travel times, and in doing so, they settle at a Wardrop (day-to-day) equilibrium or a Boston (within-day) traffic equilibrium, respectively. We prove that the path travel time function in our model is not monotone, and show that this property leads to multiple Wardrop equilibria, of which only one is both stable and efficient. The paper shows that periodic traffic oscillations do not arise from Wardrop equilibria. Trivial oscillations exist at Boston equilibria, which are caused by drivers' overreaction to traffic conditions. However, periodic oscillations are likely to emerge when (1) transitions between stable and unstable equilibria take place, and more importantly, (2) drivers make decisions based on out-of-date information of traffic conditions. The latter finding is useful in guiding control practice at freeway bottlenecks and work zones to prevent traffic oscillations.

Keywords: Traffic; oscillations; Wardrop; equilibrium; Boston; traffic; equilibrium; Freeway; bottlenecks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191-2615(09)00072-1
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:transb:v:44:y:2010:i:1:p:62-72

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/supportfaq.cws_home/regional
https://shop.elsevie ... _01_ooc_1&version=01

Access Statistics for this article

Transportation Research Part B: Methodological is currently edited by Fred Mannering

More articles in Transportation Research Part B: Methodological from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().