Impact of Information on Topology-Induced Traffic Oscillations

Yanhong Wang (), Rui Jiang (), Yu (Marco) Nie () and Ziyou Gao ()
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Yanhong Wang: School of Mathematics and Information Science of Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000 Henan, China; Key Laboratory of Transport Industry of Big Data Application Technologies for Comprehensive Transport, Ministry of Transport, Beijing Jiaotong University, 100044 Beijing, China;
Rui Jiang: Key Laboratory of Transport Industry of Big Data Application Technologies for Comprehensive Transport, Ministry of Transport, Beijing Jiaotong University, 100044 Beijing, China;
Yu (Marco) Nie: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Illinois 60208
Ziyou Gao: Key Laboratory of Transport Industry of Big Data Application Technologies for Comprehensive Transport, Ministry of Transport, Beijing Jiaotong University, 100044 Beijing, China;

Transportation Science, 2021, vol. 55, issue 2, 475-490

Abstract: Previous studies have shown traffic oscillations can be induced by special network topology. In the simplest case, a network of two intersections connected by two parallel roads would produce oscillatory traffic, when the split of drivers between the two roads falls into certain range. To understand how traffic information may affect such oscillations, a subset of drivers is allowed to be “reactive” in this study; that is, their route choice varies according to information about prevailing traffic conditions on the roads. We show that, depending on the ratio of reactive drivers, the system displays six new decaying, periodic oscillatory, or stable patterns. All solutions are obtained analytically in closed form and validated by macroscopic traffic simulation. Of all the solutions discovered, only one both is stable and fully utilizes the road space between the two intersections, and hence it is more desirable than the other solutions. The findings reveal the link between information provision and topology-induced oscillations, which may help practitioners design strategies that contribute to mitigating the adverse impact of such oscillations.

Keywords: network topology; traffic oscillations; route choice; information provision (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:ortrsc:v:55:y:2021:i:2:p:475-490

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