A study is described which estimated the economic effects of congestion using data from the Madrid City area. Costs were calculated as the difference between the cost of operating vehicles at their actual rates of travel and at the reference rate, multiplied by vehicle density and the length of road section under study. The congestion effects chosen as most important for study were a) travelling time, b) cost of vehicle operation (including cost of lubricant consumption, wear and tear on tyres and cost of maintenance and repair) and c) atmospheric pollution. The method is outlined and the results analysed. The cost of congestion was estimated at 7 million dollars per day for the municipal area of Madrid of which 90% was due to an increase in travelling time.
Samenvatting