Simulation Approach to Estimate the Potential of High-Occupancy Toll Lanes on German Freeways

Abstract

This paper focuses on the potential of HOT lanes (high-occupancy toll lanes) in Germany. For this, various scenarios were defined and simulated on a synthetic road network that adheres to German guidelines. The results demonstrated that HOT lanes offered travel time advantages for carpoolers and HOT vehicles but led to longer travel times for single-occupancy vehicles and trucks. Scenarios with higher costs per kilometer generally reinforced the promotion of high-occupancy vehicles and encouraged a shift toward public transport. In contrast, low cost rates had a negative impact on the desired modal split, as the low cost of using the HOT lane became an incentive for comfortable HOT travel rather than carpooling or using public transport. With regard to CO2 and NOx emissions, we demonstrated the unexpected consequences of HOT lanes, when the general traffic flow worsened. In all scenarios, the emissions for both groups were consistently higher than in the baseline scenario without a managed lane, because of the reduced traffic flow. Overall, scenarios with higher costs per kilometer were more favorable in relation to emissions, as the displacement effect toward carpooling vehicles and public transport reduced the overall number of vehicles in the system. This issue may need to be addressed with the implementation of intelligent traffic management systems, especially those that can influence speed. Taking a comprehensive view of the results, HOT lanes in Germany offer the potential for improving traffic conditions and optimizing modal split. However, the limitations of their application must be taken into account.