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The Prevalence of Braess' Paradox

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  • Richard Steinberg

    (Columbia University, New York, New York)

  • Willard I. Zangwill

    (University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois)

Abstract

In a noncongested transportation network where each user chooses his quickest route, the creation of an additional route between some origin-destination pair clearly cannot result in an increase in travel time to users traveling between that o-d pair. It seems reasonable to assume the same can be said of congested networks. In 1968, D. Braess presented a remarkable example demonstrating this is not the case: a new route can increase travel time for all. The present paper gives, under reasonable assumptions, necessary and sufficient conditions for “Braess' Paradox” to occur in a general transportation network. As a corollary, we obtain that Braess' Paradox is about as likely to occur as not occur.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Steinberg & Willard I. Zangwill, 1983. "The Prevalence of Braess' Paradox," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 17(3), pages 301-318, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ortrsc:v:17:y:1983:i:3:p:301-318
    DOI: 10.1287/trsc.17.3.301
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