Commuter welfare approach to high occupancy vehicle lane evaluation: An exploratory analysis

Exclusive high occupancy vehicle lanes, which have become a popular method of addressing the problem of urban traffic congestion, are often justified on the basis of inappropriate measures of effectiveness, and limited analyses. This paper demonstrates a theoretically consistent and defensible approach of high occupancy vehicle lane evaluation based on consumer welfare theory. The potential suitability of this welfare approach is illustrated in the context of a dynamic traffic equilibrium model.