Paid curbside parking can be advantageously modeled as a network of interdependent queues. To this end, we introduce methods for analyzing a special class of networks of finite capacity queues where drivers arrive from an exogenous source, join the queue if there is an available parking space, or continue to search at an adjacent queue for an available space. Furthermore, we apply this model to estimate the proportion of drivers cruising in the neighborhood of Belltown, Seattle, WA, USA. Using occupancy approximated by parking transaction data, we estimate the percentage of drivers cruising for curbside parking by comparing the rate of drivers unable to find parking to bulk through-traffic measurement data. We find percentages of up to 50% for a Belltown’s 1st Ave. depending on the time, day, and direction of travel. We then calculate a per vehicle travel-time cost to social welfare incurred by this proportion: upward of a 10% increase in travel time to all drivers along 1st Ave. Last, we introduce a simulation tool and test assumptions made when estimating interesting performance metrics like the probability of a block-face being full. Our results suggest that while assuming exponential service time distributions is not justified, mean rate solutions under a Markovian relaxation of the problem is comparable to service times representative of parking transaction data in simulation.

中文翻译：

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将路边停车建模为有限容量队列网络

付费路边停车可以有利地建模为相互依赖的队列网络。为此，我们介绍了分析一类特殊类型的有限容量队列网络的方法，其中驾驶员从外部来源到达，如果有可用停车位则加入队列，或者继续在相邻队列中搜索可用空间。此外，我们应用该模型来估计在美国华盛顿州西雅图市贝尔敦附近巡航的司机比例。使用由停车交易数据近似的占用率，我们通过将无法找到停车位的驾驶员的比率与大量通过交通测量数据进行比较来估计为路边停车而巡航的驾驶员的百分比。我们发现 Belltown 的 1st Ave. 的百分比高达 50%，具体取决于旅行的时间、日期和方向。然后，我们计算由该比例引起的社会福利的每辆车行驶时间成本：沿 1st Ave 的所有驾驶员的行驶时间增加 10% 以上。最后，我们引入了一个模拟工具并测试了在估计有趣的性能指标时所做的假设就像一个块面被填满的概率。我们的结果表明，虽然假设指数服务时间分布不合理，但问题的马尔可夫松弛下的平均速率解决方案与模拟中代表停车交易数据的服务时间相当。我们引入了一个模拟工具并测试了在估计有趣的性能指标（例如块面已满的概率）时所做的假设。我们的结果表明，虽然假设指数服务时间分布不合理，但问题的马尔可夫松弛下的平均速率解决方案与模拟中代表停车交易数据的服务时间相当。我们引入了一个模拟工具并测试了在估计有趣的性能指标（例如块面已满的概率）时所做的假设。我们的结果表明，虽然假设指数服务时间分布不合理，但问题的马尔可夫松弛下的平均速率解决方案与模拟中代表停车交易数据的服务时间相当。