Model and Algorithm for Initial Route Planning

In this paper, we propose a user-optimal model, which takes into account the user equilibrium for initial route planning in the plain area. We consider a city with five highly compact central business districts (CBD). The road network of the city is relatively dense and is considered as a continuum. The traffic demand from any destination in the city to the CBD is assumed to be a function of both the destination location and the total travel cost to the CBD. Each commuter is assumed to patronize a CBD to minimize individual total cost. The total cost depends on the location, the traffic flow intensity and a cost associated with the congestion externality at the CBD. The model is firstly formulated as a calculus of variations problem. Then finite element method and evolutionary structural optimization (ESO) is used to solve and optimize the model. Finally we find the initial location of future artery through solving the continuum user equilibrium problem. A numerical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.