Modeling the Impacts of Changes in Freight Demand, Infrastructure Improvements and Policy Measures on a Metropolitan Region

2018Final Report 12/1/15-12/31/16PDFTech ReportCAIT-UTC-NC25DTRT13-G-UTC28TrucksBenefit cost analysisFreightModelingCost-benefitUnited StatesNew JerseyRutgers University. Center for Advanced Infrastructure and TransportationSpasovic, LauraZhang, WenBesenski, DejanPathak, ChaitanyaNew Jersey Institute of TechnologyRutgers University. Center for Advanced Infrastructure and TransportationUnited States. Dept. of Transportation. Office of the SecretaryUniversity Transportation Centers Program (U.S.)United States. Federal Highway AdministrationUS Transportation CollectionIn this research, a policy framework was developed and used as a tool to determine the impacts of change in truck traffic on a regional level as a result of policy change. To achieve the objective, three demand models were used in the framework which is built on the principle of behavioral route choice and mode-choice assignment problem. The problem is represented in more realistic context by using stochastic route-choice behavior for multi-user groups and uses logit model to describe their behavior. The models have been formulated as mathematical programs with non-linear objective functions with linear constraints. The framework was applied to the real-world case study in New Jersey area. The developed framework answers the question of how much the change in truck demand affects the region regarding monetary costs such as safety, congestion, environment, and pavement damage. The research further provides an insight of the change in travel behavior as a result of policy decision and its effect on communities. The study is built on the data that is readily available to planning agencies and can be further enhanced with improved data availability