An ODE traffic network model

We are interested in models for vehicular traffic flow based on partial differential equations and their extensions to networks of roads. In this paper, we simplify a fluidodynamic traffic model and derive a new traffic flow model based on ordinary differential equations (ODEs). This is obtained by spatial discretization of an averaged density evolution and a suitable approximation of the coupling conditions at junctions of the network. We show that the new model inherits similar features of the full model, e.g., traffic jam propagation. We consider optimal control problems controlled by the ODE model and derive the optimality system. We present numerical results on the simulation and optimization of traffic flow in sample networks.