Optimization of Opening Scheme of ETC/MTC Toll Lane Based on Cost and Benefit Analysis

Abstract

In recent years, with the popularization of electronic toll collection systems (ETC), expressway toll stations in China have developed into a mixed toll form jointly deployed by ETC toll lanes and MTC toll lanes, presenting a development trend based on ETC toll lanes. Since the toll collection system has the important function of “credit repayment“, the relationship between operation benefit and cost will become an important indicator for measuring the toll station system. Taking the minimum cost and the maximum benefit of the toll station under normal operating condition as the optimization goals, a multi-objective nonlinear optimization model is established within the seek for balance between cost and benefit, so as to obtain an open plan with better toll lanes. The Nanjing-Hangzhou toll station is used as an example to verify the model. Furthermore, based on the trend of the future traffic flow and the increase in the proportion of ETC vehicles, the distribution law of the optimal opening schemes of the toll lane under different traffic volumes and different traffic flow structures is analyzed, which provides experience support for the construction and operation of toll stations in the future.