Multiperiod Highway Improvement and Construction Scheduling: Model Development and Application

A methodology is presented that emulates the transportation improvement planning process using mathematical optimization techniques. The scheduling problem is formulated as a mixed integer linear program (MILP) and can be considered as a multiperiod network design problem. The three primary model components are discussed: (a) the input module in which the network, traffic demand, and pool of potential projects are identified over the planning horizon; (b) the benefits estimation module using network travel time as the benefit criterion; and (c) the schedule builder, an MILP that attempts to maximize the total benefits subject to annual resources and project precedence constraints. The proposed method is applied in a case-study context to the Lisbon metropolitan region’s network, a portion of Portugal’s highway network, and the results are discussed.