Transit network design: A procedure and an application to a large urban area

This paper describes a procedure for solving the bus network design problem and its application in a large urban area (the city of Rome), characterized by: (a) a complex road network topology; (b) a multimodal public transport system (rapid rail transit system, buses and tramways lines); (c) a many-to-many transit demand. The solving procedure consists of a set of heuristics, which includes a first routine for the route generation based on the flow concentration process and a parallel genetic algorithm for finding a sub-optimal set of routes with the associated frequencies. The final goal of the research is to develop an operative tool to support the mobility agency of Rome for the bus network design phase.

Research highlights► Development of an intensive rather than extensive bus network. ► Procedure for solving the bus network design problem in a large urban area. ► Solving procedure consists of a set of heuristics. ► Routine for route generation based on the flow concentration process. ► Parallel genetic algorithm for finding a optimal network of routes and frequencies