CONGESTION PRICING IN THE MORNING AND EVENING PEAKS: A COMPARISON USING THE BOTTLENECK MODEL

Abstract

Growing traffic congestion and advances in electronic tolling technology have spurred interest in congestion pricing as a way to make more efficient use of roads. Because traffic fluctuates over the course of the day, it is advisable to study congestion pricing using dynamic models. Empirically, differences between the morning and evening peak traffic periods in duration and average travel speeds have been documented, with these presumed due to a combination of factors. The aim of this paper is to consider one of these factors, namely, scheduling preferences, and demonstrate that this alone can produce significant differences between morning and evening in the efficiency gains and welfare-distributional effects of congestion pricing. To facilitate analysis, attention is limited to work trips although a large fraction of trips are made for other purposes even at peak periods. The model adopted for this work is Vickrey's (1969) bottleneck model, which has been widely used to study dynamics of traffic congestion in the morning peak. Consideration is extended to heterogeneity in values of time and intensity of trip timing preferences. Conclusions are also provided and discussed.

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