The Maxwell School
Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Suppose that a given highway is designed to carry 10,000 cars per hour. When fewer cars are using it, everyone can travel at the speed limit and the road is completely uncongested. Above 10,000 cars per hour, however, the road becomes congested and every car’s travel time increases. Suppose that the amount of extra time, T, taken by every vehicle is related to the total number of cars on the road, Q, as follows: T = (Q-10,000)/40,000. (In other words, when there are 12,000 cars on the road, each one is taking 0.05 hours extra, or an additional 3 minutes, to get to its destination.) In addition, suppose that car drivers value their time at $20 per hour and that the total demand for rush hour trips on the highway is given by P = 10 – Q/2000.