Dynamic control of toll fees for optimal High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane operation

摘要

This paper describes a process for dynamically controlling toll fees on HOT (High Occupancy Toll) lanes.The main control variable is the traffic volume at the entrance of the HOT lane; the reference variable is auser defined target traffic volume. The toll fee is set on the basis of estimated demand and willingness topay (predictive component). A feedback component is used to automatically correct the toll fee based onreal time detector readings. The overall framework includes mechanisms to react to a deterioration of thetraffic state inside the HOT lane by adjusting the control variable. Tests with microscopic traffic flowsimulation show that the toll fee calculation mechanism functions as intended.