Abstract

As urbanization and travel demand continue to grow rapidly, traffic congestion has emerged as a widespread issue worldwide. The design of transportation networks and the modeling of congestion are essential disciplines that provide foundational tools for analyzing, predicting, and mitigating congestion impacts. This review complies key theories, modeling frameworks, optimization techniques, and algorithms used in network design and congestion modeling. We discuss static and dynamic models, equilibrium concepts, congestion pricing policies, and integrated bi-level optimization frameworks. Recent advances involving stochastic methods, multi-modal integration, and emerging technologies such as connected and autonomous vehicles are highlighted. The paper concludes by identifying future research pathways aimed towards developing resilient, efficient, and equitable transportation systems. The review also addresses challenges related to data availability, model scalability, uncertainty handling, and computational efficiency. Finally, the paper concludes by identifying future research directions aimed at developing resilient, efficient, and equitable transportation systems capable of adapting to evolving mobility patterns and supporting sustainable urban development.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Arnott, R., De Palma, A., & Lindsey, R. (1993). A Structural Model of Peak-Period Congestion: A Traffic Bottleneck with Elastic Demand. The American Economic Review, 83(1), 161-179.
2. Bell, M.G.H., & Iida, Y. (1997). Transportation Network Analysis. Wiley.
3. Bureau of Public Roads. (1964). Traffic Assignment Manual. U.S. Department of Commerce.
4. Crainic, T.G., & Kim, K. (2007). Intermodal transportation. In Handbooks in Operations Research and Management Science, 14, 467-537.
5. Daganzo, C.F. (1997). Fundamentals of Transportation and Traffic Operations. Pergamon.
6. Eliasson, J. (2014). The Stockholm congestion charges: an overview. Transportation Research Part A, 58, 2-10.
7. Gao, S., et al. (2020). Optimization models and solution methods for transportation network design problem: A state-of-the-art review and future research directions. Transportation Research Part B, 135, 141-167.
8. Kouvelas, A., et al. (2021). A public transport network design using a hidden Markov model and an optimization algorithm. Transportation Research Part B, 144, 296-319.
9. LeBlanc, L.J., Morlok, E.K., & Pierskalla, W.P. (1975). An efficient approach to solving the road network design problem. Transportation Research, 9(5), 309-318.
10. Li, Z., Wang, Y., & Zhang, M. (2022). Sustainable multi-objective transport network design review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 345.
11. O’Kelly, M.E. (1987). A quadratic integer program for the location of interacting hub facilities. European Journal of Operational Research, 32(3), 393-404.
12. Peeta, S., & Mahmassani, H.S. (1995). System optimal and user equilibrium time-dependent traffic assignment in congested networks. Transportation Research Part B, 29(5), 407-425.
13. Sheffi, Y. (1985). Urban Transportation Networks: Equilibrium Analysis with Mathematical Programming Methods. Prentice-Hall.
14. Small, K. (1992). Using the Revenues from Congestion Pricing. Transportation, 19, 359-381.
15. Treiber, M., & Kesting, A. (2013). Traffic Flow Dynamics. Springer.
16. Vickrey, W.S. (1969). Congestion theory and transport investment. The American Economic Review, 59(2), 251-260.
17. Wang, D., & Yang, H. (2021). Network design problem in transportation: A review and future perspectives. Transport Reviews, 41(3), 261-288.
18. Wardrop, J.G. (1952). Some theoretical aspects of road traffic research. Proceedings of the Institute of Civil Engineers, Part II, 1(36), 325-362.
19. Yang, H., & Bell, M.G.H. (1998). Models and algorithms for road network design: a review and some new developments. Transport Reviews, 18(3), 257-278.
20. Yang, H., & Huang, H.J. (2005). Mathematical and Economic Theory of Road Pricing. Transportation Research Part B, 39(6), 521-540.
21. Verhoef, E.T., et al. (1997). Second-best congestion pricing: the case of an untolled alternative. Journal of Urban Economics, 47(2), 279-302.
22. Friesz, T.L., Bernstein, D., Smith, T.E., Tobin, R.L., & Wie, B.W. (1993). A variational inequality formulation of the dynamic network user equilibrium problem. Operations Research, 41(1), 179-191.

Abstract

As urbanization and travel demand continue to grow rapidly, traffic congestion has emerged as a widespread issue worldwide. The design of transportation networks and the modeling of congestion are essential disciplines that provide foundational tools for analyzing, predicting, and mitigating congestion impacts. This review complies key theories, modeling frameworks, optimization techniques, and algorithms used in network design and congestion modeling. We discuss static and dynamic models, equilibrium concepts, congestion pricing policies, and integrated bi-level optimization frameworks. Recent advances involving stochastic methods, multi-modal integration, and emerging technologies such as connected and autonomous vehicles are highlighted. The paper concludes by identifying future research pathways aimed towards developing resilient, efficient, and equitable transportation systems. The review also addresses challenges related to data availability, model scalability, uncertainty handling, and computational efficiency. Finally, the paper concludes by identifying future research directions aimed at developing resilient, efficient, and equitable transportation systems capable of adapting to evolving mobility patterns and supporting sustainable urban development.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Arnott, R., De Palma, A., & Lindsey, R. (1993). A Structural Model of Peak-Period Congestion: A Traffic Bottleneck with Elastic Demand. The American Economic Review, 83(1), 161-179.
2. Bell, M.G.H., & Iida, Y. (1997). Transportation Network Analysis. Wiley.
3. Bureau of Public Roads. (1964). Traffic Assignment Manual. U.S. Department of Commerce.
4. Crainic, T.G., & Kim, K. (2007). Intermodal transportation. In Handbooks in Operations Research and Management Science, 14, 467-537.
5. Daganzo, C.F. (1997). Fundamentals of Transportation and Traffic Operations. Pergamon.
6. Eliasson, J. (2014). The Stockholm congestion charges: an overview. Transportation Research Part A, 58, 2-10.
7. Gao, S., et al. (2020). Optimization models and solution methods for transportation network design problem: A state-of-the-art review and future research directions. Transportation Research Part B, 135, 141-167.
8. Kouvelas, A., et al. (2021). A public transport network design using a hidden Markov model and an optimization algorithm. Transportation Research Part B, 144, 296-319.
9. LeBlanc, L.J., Morlok, E.K., & Pierskalla, W.P. (1975). An efficient approach to solving the road network design problem. Transportation Research, 9(5), 309-318.
10. Li, Z., Wang, Y., & Zhang, M. (2022). Sustainable multi-objective transport network design review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 345.
11. O’Kelly, M.E. (1987). A quadratic integer program for the location of interacting hub facilities. European Journal of Operational Research, 32(3), 393-404.
12. Peeta, S., & Mahmassani, H.S. (1995). System optimal and user equilibrium time-dependent traffic assignment in congested networks. Transportation Research Part B, 29(5), 407-425.
13. Sheffi, Y. (1985). Urban Transportation Networks: Equilibrium Analysis with Mathematical Programming Methods. Prentice-Hall.
14. Small, K. (1992). Using the Revenues from Congestion Pricing. Transportation, 19, 359-381.
15. Treiber, M., & Kesting, A. (2013). Traffic Flow Dynamics. Springer.
16. Vickrey, W.S. (1969). Congestion theory and transport investment. The American Economic Review, 59(2), 251-260.
17. Wang, D., & Yang, H. (2021). Network design problem in transportation: A review and future perspectives. Transport Reviews, 41(3), 261-288.
18. Wardrop, J.G. (1952). Some theoretical aspects of road traffic research. Proceedings of the Institute of Civil Engineers, Part II, 1(36), 325-362.
19. Yang, H., & Bell, M.G.H. (1998). Models and algorithms for road network design: a review and some new developments. Transport Reviews, 18(3), 257-278.
20. Yang, H., & Huang, H.J. (2005). Mathematical and Economic Theory of Road Pricing. Transportation Research Part B, 39(6), 521-540.
21. Verhoef, E.T., et al. (1997). Second-best congestion pricing: the case of an untolled alternative. Journal of Urban Economics, 47(2), 279-302.
22. Friesz, T.L., Bernstein, D., Smith, T.E., Tobin, R.L., & Wie, B.W. (1993). A variational inequality formulation of the dynamic network user equilibrium problem. Operations Research, 41(1), 179-191.