Abstract: Equity has emerged as a fundamental concern across several sectors in the U.S., including transportation, education, healthcare, and employment. However, the nuanced effects of tolls and congestion pricing, particularly on express lanes where travelers pay a toll in exchange for a congestion-free experience, have not been thoroughly investigated. Our study focuses on quantifying how express lanes, while beneficial in providing reliable travel time, disproportionately affect low-income travelers due to affordability issues under specific toll designs. Using a model for driver behavior and reinforcement learning for dynamic toll optimization, we aim to establish equitable toll rates based on a traveler's value of time (VOT). Our research shows that revenue- focused strategies increase travel time for low-VOT groups, while discounts reduce this disparity. Achieving fairness in delay distribution comes with a substantial revenue decrease (91%), a phenomenon known as the "equity-efficiency tradeoff," or the price of fairness. These insights are crucial for policymakers in crafting fair toll policies mindful of all users' needs.

Ridwan Tiamiyu holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Ilorin in 2019. Currently, he is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering at North Carolina A&T State University. Since 2023, Ridwan has been an active member of the Transportation Modelling Lab at NCAT, where he serves as a research assistant under the supervision of Dr. Venktesh Pandey. His research interests primarily revolve around managed lanes and equity in transportation.