Research
The Transportation Network Efficiency Effects of Congestion Pricing (Job Market Paper)
Abstract: This paper develops a novel economic analysis
framework by integrating an advanced Perturbed Utility Route Choice
Model with Beckmann’s classical User Optimization and System
Optimization formulations. ... show more
Abstract: This paper develops a novel economic analysis
framework by integrating an advanced Perturbed Utility Route Choice
Model with Beckmann’s classical User Optimization and System
Optimization formulations. To conduct quantitative analysis in a
real-world numerical experiment, this paper employs a data-driven inverse
optimization approach to “learn” the critical theoretical parameters.
Taking New York City as the case study, this paper constructs an
abstract monocentric city structure to evaluate the impacts of
congestion pricing on traffic equilibrium outcomes and network
efficiency. The results of comparative analysis show that congestion
pricing does not eliminate the primary network bottleneck but
reshapes the spatial distribution of mode-specific travel demand
across origins and multimodal transfer dynamics at intermediate nodes.
These results, moreover, uncover nuanced substitution and
complementarity patterns between private vehicles and public
transit that jointly mitigate congestion externalities. Specifically,
vehicle travel times, travel costs, and gasoline consumption decline
by 15.23%, 14.34%, and 30.74% across the entire network,
compared to substantially larger reductions—38.65%, 37.90%, and
41.27%, respectively—along the main entry links.
These heterogeneous responses indicate that congestion
pricing is more effective at alleviating localized congestion
than at resolving system-wide inefficiencies, resulting in a
modest overall network efficiency gain of 0.4%. The results of
sensitivity analysis further reveals that while economic revenues
continue to exhibit substantial growth, the marginal efficiency gains
diminish as congestion pricing intensifies. These findings provide
practical insights for designing urban mobility markets and formulating
effective transportation policies. show less
A Perturbed Quantitative Spatial Equilibrium Model with Optimal Location and Commuting Decisions (Working Paper)
Abstract: This paper consider a nonatomic, selfish spatial location and commuting choice game within multi-commodity
and multi-class transportation networks, where rational agents balance agglomeration and dispersion forces to make their optimal spatial ... show more
Abstract: This paper consider a nonatomic, selfish spatial location and commuting choice game within multi-commodity
and multi-class transportation networks, where rational agents balance agglomeration and dispersion forces to make their optimal spatial
location and commuting choices. To address the limitations of existing quantitative spatial models and bridge the gap between transportation
literature and spatial economics, this paper utilizes a perturbed utility model within a general spatial equilibrium framework to account for
unobservable heterogeneity. This paper establishes existence and uniqueness properties of the perturbed spatial equilibrium, and derives its
closed-form expression. The results of a numerical experiment suggest that improvements in transportation infrastructure alter the spatial
distribution of traffic flows and economic activity. Moreover, the simulated elasticities of spatial equilibrium outcomes highlight the
critical role of carefully targeted policy interventions. show less
Stochastic Traffic Equilibria under Risk Aversion and Distributionally Robust Optimization (Working Paper)
Abstract: Moving beyond the standard risk-neutral framework,
this paper first proposes a novel Risk-Averse Stochastic User Equilibrium (RA-SUE) model,
where travelers minimize perceived risk (disutility) by considering both mean travel time
and its variability. To further account for ambiguity aversion of policymakers ... show more
Abstract: Moving beyond the standard risk-neutral framework,
this paper first proposes a novel Risk-Averse Stochastic User Equilibrium (RA-SUE) model,
where travelers minimize perceived risk (disutility) by considering both mean travel time
and its variability. To further account for ambiguity aversion of policymakers,
this paper introduces a novel Distributionally Robust RA-SUE (DRO-RA-SUE) model,
formulated using a phi-divergence-based ambiguity set over perception errors.
In this paper, we establish theoretical properties of existence and uniqueness,
and apply efficient algorithms to compute equilibria. These models provide a richer behavioral
foundation for analyzing travelers' path choices under uncertain travel times,
and offer a practical tool for robust policy analysis. Simulated numerical experiments
reveal key insights: under RA-SUE, both public transit and new link interventions
consistently induce a Braess-like paradox, with system costs changing monotonically with
risk aversion. Under DRO-RA-SUE, ambiguity aversion alleviates the paradox for public
transit but not for the new link, where system performance deteriorates in a non-monotonic
manner. These findings highlight how accounting for risk and ambiguity aversion is
critical to accurately assessing transportation policies under uncertainty. show less
Selected Refereed Publications before PhD
Huahua Zhu, Huaqing Wang (2011). Game Analysis on Pollutant Discharge Behavior of Coal Enterprises under Low-carbon Economy. Ecological Economy, Vol.10: pp.304-306.
Huaqing Wang, Longfei Zhao, Huahua Zhu (2011). Game model of vertical cooperative advertising under asymmetric channel power. International Conference on E-Business and E-Government (ICEE).
