A MILP approximation approach for finding optimal toll locations and levels in elastic demand traffic networks

• The toll design problem (TDP) is to find optimal toll locations and corresponding toll levels in a congestion pricing scheme. The TDP can be formulated as a non-convex mathematical program, in which the road users are assumed to be distributed according to a user-equilibrium with elastic demand. This program is hard to solve due to non-convexity and non-smoothness. In this paper, the TDP is approximated by a mixed integer linear program (MILP), in which the non-linear functions of the TDP are approximated by piecewise linear ones. The MILP can be solved to its global optimal solution by known methods, and its optimal solution will give a lower bound on the optimal solution to the TDP. By iteratively updating the MILP approximation, the error introduced by the approximation is reduced, and for a test network with nine nodes and 18 links, the global optimal solution is obtained.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Transportteknik och logistik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Transport Systems and Logistics (hsv//eng)

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