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Constrained Recursive Logit for Route Choice Analysis

Hung Tran, Tien Mai, Minh Ha Hoang

arXiv 1 Sep 2025 · Econometrics

arXiv:2509.01595 · PDF · DOI · OpenAlex · Extracted main text

Abstract

The recursive logit (RL) model has become a widely used framework for route choice modeling, but it suffers from a key limitation: it assigns nonzero probabilities to all paths in the network, including those that are unrealistic, such as routes exceeding travel time deadlines or violating energy constraints. To address this gap, we propose a novel Constrained Recursive Logit (CRL) model that explicitly incorporates feasibility constraints into the RL framework. CRL retains the main advantages of RL-no path sampling and ease of prediction-but systematically excludes infeasible paths from the universal choice set. The model is inherently non-Markovian; to address this, we develop a tractable estimation approach based on extending the state space, which restores the Markov property and enables estimation using standard value iteration methods. We prove that our estimation method admits a unique solution under positive discrete costs and establish its equivalence to a multinomial logit model defined over restricted universal path choice sets. Empirical experiments on synthetic and real networks demonstrate that CRL improves behavioral realism and estimation stability, particularly in cyclic networks.

Citation extraction

30
references
54
in-text mentions
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distinct cited
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Most heavily cited references

The works this paper leans on most, across its whole bibliography — not restricted to papers in our corpus. Ranked by composite intensity, which combines how often a work is mentioned, how many sections mention it, and how much of that falls in the main text rather than the appendix.

ReferenceIntensityMentionsSectionsMain text
1Fosgerau, M., Frejinger, E., and Karlström, A (2013) A link based network route choice model with unrestricted choice set1.00074100%
2Rust, J (1987) Optimal replacement of GMC bus engines: An empirical model of Harold Zurcher0.9416583%
3Mai, T., Fosgerau, M., and Frejinger, E (2015) A nested recursive logit model for route choice analysis self0.9285480%
4Mai, T. and Frejinger, E (2022) Estimation of undiscounted recursive path choice models: Convergence properties and algorithms self0.84333100%
5Mai, T., Bastin, F., and Frejinger, E (2018) A decomposition method for estimating recursive logit based route choice models self0.73732100%
6Aguirregabiria, V. and Mira, P (2009) Dynamic discrete choice structural models: A survey0.64422100%
7Mai, T. and Jaillet, P (2020) A relation analysis of markov decision process frameworks self0.64422100%
8Zimmermann, M. and Frejinger, E (2020) A tutorial on recursive models for analyzing and predicting path choice behavior0.64422100%
9Mai, T., Yu, X., Gao, S., and Frejinger, E (2021) Route choice in a stochastic time-dependent network: the recursive model and solution algorithm self0.51121100%
10Oyama, Y. and Hato, E (2017) A discounted recursive logit model for dynamic gridlock network analysis0.51121100%

Showing the top 10 of 30 scored citations.