Evaluation of Traffic Congestion Pricing Methods in Tourist Metropolises (Case Study: Mashhad City)

One of the most appropriate ways of controlling traffic congestion in metropolises is traffic congestion pricing. Traffic congestion pricing has been done in different ways in the metropolises of the world. Choosing the right method for traffic congestion pricing in tourist metropolises is very important. In this research, four methods for traffic congestion pricing were evaluated and prioritized using the Analytic Network Process (ANP). The Analytic Network Process (ANP) is based on expert opinions and paired comparisons, and considers dependencies among decision elements. The prioritization of evaluation and weighting to decision elements based on the Analytic Network Process (ANP) in this study was done by using “Super Decisions” software. The tourist metropolis of Mashhad was selected as a case study in this research. Based on the obtained results, the pricing method of the monitored ranges is the highest priority and the pricing methods based on the distance traveled within the traffic plan area, the pricing based on the time of the traffic scheduling and pricing based on the entry permit are ranked in next priorities respectively. The most effective evaluation criteria are known as reducing travel time, reducing single-occupancy vehicle traffic, increasing the using of public transport, and increasing the operational speed.