Date and Time
Friday, April 24th, 2026
17:00 p.m.-18:30 p.m.
Presenter
Dr. Marcus Berliant (Washington University in St. Louis)
Title
Commuting and Internet Traffic Congestion
Abstract
We examine the fine microstructure of commuting in a game-theoretic setting with a continuum of commuters. Commuters home and work locations can be heterogeneous. A commuter transport network is exogenous. Traffic speed is determined by local congestion at a time and place along a link, where local congestion at a time and place is endogenous. The model can be reinterpreted to apply to congestion on the internet. We find sufficient conditions for existence of equilibrium, that multiple equilibria are ubiquitous, and that the welfare properties of morning and evening commute equilibria differ on a generalization of a directed tree.
About
We will have a research seminar with Professor Marcus Berliant from Washington University in St. Louis on Friday, April 24. Professpr Berliant served on the faculty of the University of Rochester prior to his arrival at Washington University in 1994. He has supervised 39 PhD dissertations, placing students at institutions such as Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Illinois. He has also served as a staff member for Congress. He was elected a Fellow of the Regional Science Association International in 2005. Current research and teaching interests include public finance, economic theory, and urban economics. Topics currently under study are the politics of income taxation, the microstructure of knowledge creation, and the location and growth of cities. Publications include “Income Taxes and the Provision of Public Goods: Existence of an Optimum” (with Frank Page), Econometrica, “Regional Science: The State of the Art” (with T. ten Raa), Regional Science and Urban Economics, “A Foundation of Location Theory: Existence of Equilibrium, the Welfare Theorems and Core” (with K. Dunz), Journal of Mathematical Economics, and “State and Federal Tax Equity: Estimates Before and After the Tax Reform Act of 1986” (with R. Strauss), Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.
Venue
Mid Conference Room (Graduate School of Economics), Rokko-dai 1st Campus, Building Ⅲ 1F
Language
English
Co-organized by
Rokkodai Theory Seminar, Rokko ForumIntended Participants
Professors, Graduate students including KIMAP students and Alumni of Kobe University.
How to register for this seminar
Please register at the URL below.