The Traffic Paradox

1968: Braess’ paper on using the notion of equilibria to study traffic includes a surprise—closing roads can reduce congestion!

• How often does Braess’ paradox occur?
• How hard is it to determine whether adding a road will increase or decrease traffic?
• In what other kinds of systems (other than traffic) does Braess’ paradox occur?

91Axx (Game theory)

• 91A14 (Potential and congestion games)
• 91A43 (Games involving graphs)
• 91A80 (Applications of game theory)