A Bi-Level Multi-Objective Optimization Model for Micro-Circulation Road Networks in the Open Block Area Considering Traffic Pollution and Intersection Delays

Abstract

It is important for urban traffic micro-circulation to improve the density of urban branch road networks by opening roads inside blocks. To reasonably optimize the micro-circulation road network in the open block area, a bi-level multi-objective programming model that considers traffic pollution and intersection delays was developed. In this paper, the goals of minimizing traffic pollution and total travel cost are added to the upper-level programming model and the user equilibrium assignment model with the consideration of intersection delay was presented as the lower-level programming model. A modified genetic algorithm (GA) embedded with the Frank-Wolfe algorithm was designed to solve the established model. The traffic conditions of arterial roads and micro-circulation branch roads before and after optimizing the micro-circulation block road network were compared and analyzed by a numerical example. The results demonstrated that the bi-level programming model can effectively determine the traffic direction of branch roads and the forbidden situation of intersections in the micro-circulation network. Compared with the closed block, the average saturation of the main trunk road decreased from 0.97 to 0.83 with a decline ratio of 14.43% after optimizing the micro-circulation network in the open block area; the average saturation of the secondary trunk road decreased from 0.86 to 0.77, with a decline ratio of 10.47%. The travel time cost decreased by approximately 6.55%, and the traffic pollution decreased by approximately 3.40%, which verified the optimization effect of the model and the algorithm.INDEX TERMS Urban traffic micro-circulation, open block, road network optimization, bi-level multiobjective programming model, genetic algorithm.