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System-Optimal Routing of Traffic Flows with User Constraints in Networks with Congestion

Infopark AG, Kitzingstrasse 15, 12277 Berlin, Germany
Technische Universität Berlin, Fakultät II, Institut für Mathematik, MA 6-1, Strasse des 17. Juni 136, 10623 Berlin, Germany
Sloan School of Management and Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, E53-361, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4307
Graduate School of Business, Columbia University, 418 Uris Hall, 3022 Broadway, New York, New York 10027
olaf.jahn{at}zamioculcas.net
moehring{at}math.tu-berlin.de
schulz{at}mit.edu
ns2224{at}columbia.edu

The design of route guidance systems faces a well-known dilemma. The approach that theoretically yields the system-optimal traffic pattern may discriminate against some users in favor of others. Proposed alternate models, however, do not directly address the system perspective and may result in inferior performance. We propose a novel model and corresponding algorithms to resolve this dilemma. We present computational results on real-world instances and compare the new approach with the well-established traffic assignment model. The essence of this study is that system-optimal routing of traffic flow with explicit integration of user constraints leads to a better performance than the user equilibrium, while simultaneously guaranteeing superior fairness compared to the pure system optimum.

Subject classifications: networks/graphs; multicommodity:theory; transportation:models; mathematics:combinatorics.
History: Received November 2002; revision received December 2003; accepted June 2004.