Managed-Lanes Stated Preference Survey in Atlanta,Georgia

With the vast majority of choice modeling studies making use of data collected using stated preference (SP) surveys, there is considerable interest in the benefit of advanced survey techniques, such as efficient designs. Although there is a growing body of statistical evidence of the advantages of such advanced methods, there is still relatively little evidence from actual real-world studies. The findings of a large study in Atlanta, Georgia, making use of SP surveys in the context of road tolling initiatives are presented. The study has a rather special characteristic in that the data collection used survey questionnaires with various different experimental design approaches. This allowed direct comparison of the stated choice behavior across designs. Significant differences could be observed in a number of crucial indicators, such as the value of time and elasticities with respect to income and trip distance, depending on the design used. The analysis further showed that superior performance was obtained when use was made of an efficient design, while highlighting the disadvantages of random blocking approaches.