Network Planning for Innovative Track-Based Transportation Technologies: A Minimum Spanning Tree Algorithm to Demonstrate Network Benefits

Abstract

Direct connectivity, the main principle of developing the Interstate highway system, is of reduced importance for track-based transport networks. Ultra-speed, enabled by innovative technologies, can transport passengers via indirect links fast enough that certain direct links can be strategically removed to achieve cost savings while maintaining target transit times. Few studies have investigated such network benefits associated with ultra-speed technologies, and the relationship of vehicle speed, track length, and travel time savings is not well understood. Therefore, this article quantifies the relationship by studying potential transport networks using a case study in the American Midwest. A graph-theory-based heuristic algorithm is proposed to generate the optimal network and a set of scenarios are analyzed to test the sensitivity of network benefits to speed. Results show that ultra-speed can reduce the total length of the transport network by almost 50% while offering over 50% travel time reduction. This first attempt at quantifying the network benefits sheds light on transport network planning and infrastructure project development by mitigating the problems of capital cost and land acquisition.