A Mathematical Programming Model for the Combined Distribution-Assignment of Traffic

The traffic assignment and distribution problems are customarily treated as though they were independant rather than related and interacting. In this paper a combined traffic distribution-assignment model is formulated as a mathematical program, based on the equilibrium traffic distribution model and a linear programming assignment model. The behavior of this model using the Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition principle is investigated and illustrated by means of an example. A number of areas for extension are indicated and an alternative formulation that has certain advantages is also given.